Comic-Con 2014 Schedule - Thursday
Wednesday, July 26th 6:00pm – 10:00pm: Special Sneak Peek Pilot Screenings - Ballroom 20 Comic-Con International and Warner Bros. Television proudly continue their annual Preview Night tradition, with exclusive world premiere screenings of the pilot episodes of three of the most highly anticipated series of the 2014-15 television season — The Flash, Constantine, and iZombie — as well as a brand new episode of Teen Titans Go! Thursday, July 27th 10:00am – 11:00am: FreeBabylon5: A Fan Campaign - Room 29A Jan Schroeder (freebabylon5.com) and Jon Del Arroz (flyingsparkscomic.com) discuss a growing fan campaign that sprang up after J. Michael Straczynski tweeted the hashtag #FreeBabylon5 and urged fans to “get organized and loud” if Babylon 5 fandom is to grow. See what has been accomplished so far and help brainstorm what can be done in the future to promote this seminal science fiction show and bring it to new viewers. 10:00am – 11:00am: 24 - Ballroom 20 ''' Jack is back at Comic-Con, damn it! Kiefer Sutherland takes the stage to celebrate 24′s most iconic moments and highlights of Jack Bauer’s triumphant return in 24: Live Another Day. Catch the exclusive sneak peek at highly anticipated Blu-ray and DVD featurette, Worlds Collide, illustrating how the pulse-pounding storytelling was created for this thrilling new season. Screening and discussion moderated by executive producer Jon Cassar to be followed by Q&A. 10:00am – 11:00am: '''Comic-Con How-To: Don’t Tell Your Story, Show It! - Room 2 Ever wonder how the really good books suck readers in and hold their attention page after page? It’s not the characters, nor the plot of the book. It is the way in which the author writes that separates his or her story from the pack. Award-winning author Maxwell Alexander Drake will use current examples to help you gain insight into how to put your story together in a compelling way that will keep your readers turning the pages to see what happens next. 10:00am – 11:00am: DC Collectibles - Room 9 Action figures, statues, busts, PVC figures…DC Collectibles has them all-and more! The DC Collectibles crew-including DVP for creative services Kevin Kiniry, director for creative services Jim Fletcher, artists Greg Capullo (Batman) and Dustin Nguyen (Batman: Li’l Gotham), and sculptor Jon Matthews-tell how they come up with so many great products, and what’s coming up from comics’ top makers of awesome collectibles! 10:00am – 11:00am: God Is Disappointed in You with Shannon Wheeler & Mark Russell - Room 32AB God Is Disappointed in You, published by Top Shelf, is the tongue-in-cheek “condensed” version of the Bible you never knew you needed-hilariously modern, but surprisingly authentic-with illustrations and gags by New Yorker cartoonist Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man). Wheeler and writer Mark Russell join together for an hour of unforgettable irreverence, including Q&A, audience sketches, and the hilarious-yet-accurate “ten-minute Bible.” Plus: a taste of the new audiobook, read by Dr. Venture himself, James Urbaniak (The Venture Bros.)! 10:00am – 11:00am: Graphic Novel Programming at Your Library - Room 23ABC “I just don’t know what to do!” say many librarians and other educators who don’t have graphic novel/comic book-themed programs. Greg Evans (Luann), Joe Field (Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff), and Hillary W. Chang (McCully-Moiliili Public Library) discuss the process to accomplish such programs as an artist speaking tour, Free Comic Book Day, and even a Library Con. 10:00am – 11:00am: Marvel: Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way - Room 7AB Have a passion for the inner workings of the comics industry? Curious about breaking into the field as a writer or artist? Marvel professionals from every corner of the business give insider tips, advice, and first-hand accounts of what it takes to start a career in comics today. Panelists include editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, talent scout C. B. Cebulski, and a slew of Marvel talent! 10:00am – 11:00am: My Adventures in Storytelling - Room 28DE Brian Stelfreeze (Batman Black-and-White, Wednesday’s Comics, Day Men) talks about his career as a comics illustrator and shares what he’s learned along the way. Welcome to this lively discussion and Q&A moderated by his good friend Doug Wagner (Gun Candy, I.C.E.). 10:00am – 11:00am: The Witcher - Room 6A A franchise spanning literature, comics, film & television, board games, and widely popular video games, The Witcher has touched millions with its engaging characters and exciting adventures. A diverse panel of experts discuss the many aspects of this renowned universe. Be the first to see new Dark Horse publications, see the first-ever live consumer demo of the upcoming The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt video game, and get a chance to meet the team behind Wild Hunt. Panelists include actors Doug Cockle (Geralt of Rivia, The Witcher franchise), Dark Horse Comics author Paul Tobin (The Witcher House of Glass), Nick McWhorter, CD PROJEKT RED’s game developers Damien Monnier and Lukasz Wnek (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), and Rafal Jaki. Moderated by SpikeTV’s Geoff Keighley. 10:00am – 11:00am: Wonderbook: Writers on Creativity and Inspiration - Room 25ABC Jeff VanderMeer (award-winning author of Wonderbook) and Lev Grossman (novelist and journalist for TIME magazine, as well as contributor to Wonderbook), Charles Yu (novelist and contributor to Wonderbook), and Anina Bennett and Paul Guinan (authors of the science fiction comic Heartbreakers, as well as the books Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel) partake in a discussion led by Ann VanderMeer about the creative process and “sense of wonder” that is key to the writing process, in the context of the participants’ current works as well as the innovative visuals in the Hugo Award-nominated Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction. 10:00am – 11:00am: Comic-Con Film School 101: Preproduction and Screenwriting - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina Comic-Con Film School is back for another four-day, nuts-and-bolts class on how to make a movie for very little money using available video technology and desktop postproduction software. Whether you’re shooting your first Zelda fan film or that story about the leather-clad girl who hunts gargoyles, this course will take you from script to final product so that you too can enter your own movie into the CCI-IFF. This first class covers the specifics of preproduction on the cheap, including screenwriting, scheduling, location scouting, crewing-up, and getting equipment for nothing. Panelists for the class include Valerie Perez (producer/star of the Paula Peril series), Jack Conway (producer of Machinima ETC), Vera Vanguard (producer of The Building of Good and Evil), Nick Murphy (writer/director of Pizza and Bullets), Josh Perilo (writer of Wedlock), and Sean Rourke (writer of Ballistica). 10:00am – 11:30am: Shonen Jump: Naruto - Room 8 Naruto is one of the world’s most popular manga series, with over 60 bestselling volumes published. Get all the latest news on the Naruto manga, anime, video games, and more at this super-sized panel, featuring guests from VIZ Media, Bandai Namco games, and a special guest you’ll have to see to believe! 10:15am – 11:15am: Mattel and WWE: Over-the-Top-Action! - Room 6DE Two of the world’s top entertainment companies have teamed up for the ultimate panel at SDCC. WWE Superstars and Mattel designers will talk about the all-new WWE Network and give exclusive sneak peeks of Mattel’s upcoming WWE figure releases! Incredible guest appearances by Hulk Hogan, Daniel Bryan, Michael Cole, Paul Heyman, and you never know what else will be unveiled. This is a panel you won’t want to miss, brother! 10:30am – 11:30am: Behind the Music: Crime, Death and Resurrection - Room 4 Murder, mayhem, mystery and more are all at the center of “Crime, Death and Resurrection,” a Behind the Music panel featuring composers that create the music to some of your favorite television shows and movies! Join Jeff Russo (FX’sFargo and CBS’s Hostages), James Levine (FX’s American Horror Story and TNT’s Major Crimes), Daniel Licht (Showtime’s Dexter and Sundance TV’s The Red Road), Brian Reitzell (NBC’s Hannibal and Columbia Pictures’ 30 Days of Night), Steve Jablonsky (Paramount Pictures’ Transformers franchise, TNT’s The Last Ship and Summit Entertainment’s Ender’s Game), Christopher Young (Screen Gem’s Deliver Us From Evil, Syfy’s Dominion and Columbia Pictures’ SpiderMan 3) as they share their secrets for getting us to the edge of our seats as blood spills on screen. With special guest moderator Shane West (The CW’s Nikita and WGN’s Salem)! With exclusive giveaways for fans! 10:30am – 11:30am: Legends of TV Land - Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront Get up close and personal with icons of television! Superstar Betty White (The Golden Girls, Hot in Cleveland) and other TV celebs will answer questions about their work and making history on television. Plus, get a special sneak peek at the animated episode of TV Land’s original sitcom Hot in Cleveland, airing July 30th. 10:30am – 11:30am: Taming the Web: The Nuts and Bolts of Web Series Creation Room - 24ABC Career at a dead-end? Not sure how to make your talents known? Our panelists are veteran Web series producers, directors, and stars who’ve figured out how to successfully launch their own online series and parlay them into moneymaking ventures. They’re dolling out tips on producing, content creation, crowdsourcing funds and luring advertisers, marketing and branding and—when TV comes calling—negotiating the transition so you retain ownership. Panelists include producer/director/actor Satu Runa (Queen Gorya), producer/actor/crowdfunding queen Leah Cevoli (FanBacked), producer/director/writer/actor Freddie Wong (Video Game High School), master weaponsmaker Tony Swatton (Man At Arms), and YouTube programming strategist Nathan Kitada. Moderated by Fast Company’s Susan Karlin. 10:30am – 11:30am: The Legacy and Return of Battlestar Galactica - Room 6BCF Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek, Captain Apollo), Jamie Bamber (Lee Adama), and Dr. Kevin Grazier (science consultant for Falling Skies, Battlestar Galactica, Eureka) host a discussion and Q&A on the upcoming Battlestar Galactica movie and where fans would like to see the story and characters go. Panelists include Luciana Carro (Battlestar Galactica, Falling Skies) and producer Alec Peters (Propworks, Battlestar Galactica auction, Axanar), plus surprise guests and theatrical trailers. 10:30am – 12:00pm: Comic Book Law School 101: The Beginning Is the Most Important Part - Room 30CDE Ideas, characters, plots, designs, stories, paintings, photos, titles, names, logos, brands-it’s enough to drive one crazy if you don’t know your copyright from your trademark from your trade secret. But never fear-help is only a 90-minute program away. Noted IP attorney Michael Lovitz, author of The Trademark and Copyright Book comic book, offers the first of three fun and informative programs, which taken together are designed to provide you with a basic foundation in intellectual property law and related areas, including securing and enforcing your rights, contracts and licensing, fair use, parody, social media and much more. This first installment focuses on “The Basics” in an effort to provide a foundation for understanding the different intellectual property rights available to creators and business owners and teach ways to protect those rights, focusing on how best to safeguard ideas, inventions, works of authorship, characters, brands and names, from conception through publication and beyond. Attendees are invited to participate in an interactive discussion about basic rights provided under U.S. copyright and trademark laws, including their intersection with new media, as well as new decisions and changes in the law and how they could affect those rights (and if time permits, he’ll touch on issues of joint authorship, fair use, parody and/or piracy). Along the way, there will be plenty to learn about the protections available, as well as the numerous potential pitfalls, under the U.S. trademark and copyright systems. Please note: The Comic Book Law School seminars are designed to provide relevant information and practice tips to practicing attorneys, as well as practical tips to creators and other professionals who may wish to attend. program is approved for 1.5 credits of California MCLE. 10:30am – 12:00pm: Comics Arts Conference Session #1: Comics and Nations - Room 26AB Aerum Jeong (University of California, Los Angeles) examines how Lob and Rochette’s graphic novel trilogy Le Transperceneige and the filmic adaptation Snowpiercer use local cultural and political motifs to construct a space in which the readers/viewers can imagine themselves as part of a nation. Sam Cannon (University of Texas at Austin) analyzes how the creators of Detective Heredia use locations in Santiago, Chile to conjure violent places of memory that synthesize past, present, and future meanings of the city. Cathy Thomas (University of California, Santa Cruz) uses recent work in hemispheric American border studies to explain how the misread love missive, such as the brick thrown by a mouse named Ignatz that always “creases the bean” of a cat called Krazy, re-stages courtship and colonial imagination. 11:00am – 12:00pm: Comic Creator Connection All-Stars - Room 32AB Have you heard of the CCC? The Comic Creator Connection is the original “speed-dating” event that introduces writers and artists who are struggling to find their creative counterparts and is featured exclusively at the Comic-Con International family of conventions. This All-Star panel spotlights newly published teams who first met at a Comic Creator Connection event. CCC Hosts Douglas Neff and Corey Rothermel (authors of Epic Win! The Geek’s Guide to the Journey from Fan to Creator) will draw from our veterans the lessons they learned starting and maintaining a successful creative partnership, covering everything from the first handshake to the first draft to the first sale. If you are an aspiring comic book creator, you do not want to miss this panel! 11:00am – 12:00pm: Comic-Con How-To: Point of View: What’s the Point? - Room 2 With so many terms and styles, diving into the mechanics of the craft of writing can be scary. And Point of View (POV) can be one of the toughest to tackle. Yet, if used correctly, POV is a wonderful and powerful tool that is the backbone of your story. Award-winning author Maxwell Alexander Drake helps break this piece of the writing puzzle down into something you can use to enhance your writing style. 11:00am – 12:00pm: Flesk Publications Exposed! The Artists Spill Their Guts! - Room 28DE With a lineup including Frank Cho (Drawing Beautiful Women, Savage Wolverine ), Terry Dodson (Red One, Uncanny X-Men), Mark Schultz (Xenozoic, Storms at Sea), and William Stout (Hallucinations,Legends of the Blues) talking new projects-and publisher John Fleskes frankly discussing future Flesk titles and the latest on the renowned Spectrum Fantastic Art series-you can expect an entertaining hour! 11:00am – 12:00pm: Godzilla and The Master of Monsters - Room 23ABC August Ragone (Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters), David E. Chapple (Famous Monsters of Filmland), and Arian Hinojosa (Monster Attack Team) present a discussion on the man who brought Godzilla and Ultraman to life, establishing the art of Japanese visual effects and creating the genre known as the “kaiju eiga” (Japanese monster movies). See rare, behind-the-scenes photographs of how the original Godzilla films were made and the men and women who made them. 11:00am – 12:00pm: Hasbro: Transformers - Room 25ABC Members of the Hasbro and Hasbro Studios team will give fans an exclusive sneak peek at the new animated series Transformers: Robots In Disguise airing in early 2015 on Hub Network in the U.S. and globally. Attendees will also get a first look at the third season of Transformers: Rescue Bots, also airing on the Hub Network. In addition, attendees can celebrate the 30-year legacy of the Transformers brand and experience exclusive reveals of never-beefore-seen product. The Transformers team members will also host some Q&A for your burning Transformers questions! 11:00am – 12:00pm: How Fan Fiction Can Lead to Being a Professional - Room 29A Fan fiction can lead to jobs in several fields as a professional, including writing books, acting, screenwriting, and many others. Panelists include Katherine Fugate (Valentine’s Day), a selected member of the board of directors of the WGAW, who created/executive produced/wrote Army Wives; Melissa Good (Tropical Storm), a fan fiction writer and novelist who has written episodes for Xena, Warrior Princess; Nancy Holder (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Watcher’s Guide), New York Times bestselling author whose fan fiction street cred includes Robin of Sherwood; Dru Pagliassotti, a novelist and professor at a California university who has researched Western manga fandom and teaches courses on film and comics analysis; Nancy Cornell-Healy (Intersection), comedian/novelist/playwright; Justin Robinson (Get Blank), a multitalented novelist; and Sherri Rabinowitz (Fantasy Time Inc.), a writer of fan fiction, playwright and award-nominated novelist and host of the popular blog talk radio show Chatting With Sherri. 11:00am – 12:00pm: Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature - Room 5AB Dr. David Brin (Hugo, Locus and Nebula Award-winning author of the Uplift trilogy), Jim Butcher (NY Times bestselling author of The Dresden Files series), Rachel Caine (NY Times bestselling author of the Morganville Vampires series), Jason Hough (NY Times bestselling author of The Darwin Elevator series), Marie Lu (NY Times bestselling author of the Legend series), and Jonathan Maberry (NY Times bestselling author of the Joe Ledger series) discuss writing science fiction and fantasy novels and their adaptation to TV and movies. Moderated by Henry Herz (editor of Beyond the Pale). 11:00am – 12:00pm: Spotlight on Dan Slott - Room 7AB NY Times bestselling comic book author and Comic-Con special guest Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man, Superior Spider-Man, Silver Surfer) shares stories about working in comics, from his early days on Ren & Stimpy to Batman: Arkham Asylum Living Hell to his current runs on Spidey and Surfer. Moderated by Dan’s pal, comic book journalist Jill Pantozzi (TheMarySue.com). Attendees be warned: mind-swapping might occur. 11:00am – 12:00pm: The Simpsons and SpongeBob Smile-Time Hour - Room 9 Creative director Nathan Kane and managing editors Terry Delegeane and Chris Duffy give you the lowdown on how Bongo Comics Group and United Plankton Pictures make the best humor comic books in the business. Meet some of the Bongo and United Plankton artists and writers who have tickled your four-color funny bone. Find out what’s in stores in the coming months! 11:05am – 11:40am: The Professor - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina An ex-professor (Breaking Bad’s Betsy Brandt) and her gang of student radicals kidnap a famous news anchor and force him to read the “real news” live on the Internet. Participating panelists include Perri Nemiroff (producer, Child Eater). 11:15am – 12:00pm: Under the Dome: Panel and Exclusive Sneak Preview - Ballroom 20 The hit summer series is back for its second season, bigger than ever with higher stakes and catastrophic developments that leave no one safe under the dome. The inhabitants of Chester’s Mill must decide who to rally behind as Big Jim continues to fight for the town’s trust and allegiance, all while resources dwindle and the post-apocalyptic conditions continue to intensify. There are new faces, bigger mysteries, betrayal of alliances, and monumental revelations about the dome, which will lead to a shocking discovery of what is behind it. Journey back under the dome, where you can’t always believe what you see and nothing is impossible. An exclusive sneak preview at what’s to come in season 2 will be followed by a panel discussion with the cast: Mike Vogel (Bates Motel), Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Rachelle Lefevre (Twilight), Alexander Koch, Colin Ford, and Mackenzie Lintz, along with executive producer Neal Baer. 11:15am – 12:15pm: Toy Story That Time Forgot - Room 6A Calling all Toy Story fans! ABC and Disney•Pixar present an exclusive first look at the upcoming holiday special, Toy Story That Time Forgot. Executive producer Galyn Susman (Toy Story OF TERROR!), director Steve Purcell (Brave), and head of story Derek Thompson (WALL•E) give you an exclusive inside look at the sketches, storyboards, and concepts that went into the making of this Disney•Pixar special! 11:30am – 12:30pm: DC Entertainment All Access: 101 - Room 6DE ''' DC Comics’s backlist is full of the most exciting stories ever told! New fans and veteran fans alike are welcome for an in-depth tutorial on the essential stories and products that make up DC Comics’s rich history. At DC Entertainment, there’s never been a better time to be a comics fan! 11:30am – 12:30pm: '''Dig: A USA Network Event Series - Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront USA Network’s highly anticipated new television event series, Dig, makes its debut at Comic-Con! From co-creators Tim Kring (creator and executive producer of Heroes) and Gideon Raff (executive producer of Homeland), Dig follows an FBI agent stationed in Israel who, while investigating the murder of a young American archaeologist, uncovers a global conspiracy 2,000 years in the making. The panel will give fans an inside look into this fast-paced international thriller as Tim Kring and cast members discuss the new series. Gideon Raff and series stars Jason Isaacs (Awake, Harry Potter) and Anne Heche (Save Me, Hung) will join the discussion LIVE from location in Israel via satellite for an interactive Q&A. Attendees will be the first to see an exclusive preview from the new series and learn how they can #DigDeeper into the action before the series premieres this fall on USA. 11:30am – 12:30pm: How to Get News Coverage - Room 8 Small press publishers: What makes the difference between an item that will get news coverage, previews, and interviews, and what doesn’t? A lot of publishers have no idea what to submit to the press, how to submit it, and why they are being overlooked for coverage. Comics journalist Rik Offenberger (First Comics News, Archie Comics) moderates this panel on just what it takes to get coverage, with the comic journalists themselves telling you what they are looking for in submissions. Panelists include (in alphabetical order) Albert Ching (Comics Book Resources), Amy Chu (DC Comics), Holly Golightly (BroadSword Comics), Glenn Hauman (Comic Mix), Rich Johnston (Bleeding Cool), Alan Kistler (The Mary Sue), Francis Sky (First Comics News), Tanya Tate (First Comics News), J. C. Vaughn (Scoop), Josh Waldrop (M1W Entertainment), and Bryan Young (Huffington Post, Big Shiny Robot). Find out what it takes to self-promote and make a significant impact on your ability to sell your comic. — Who’s that among the panelists? Alan Kistler, writer of The Mary Sue’s very own Agent of S.T.Y.L.E.?! Go to this panel and tell him Rebecca says hello. 11:30am – 12:30pm: Masters of the Web: Comic Book Movies - Room 24ABC A discussion of the state and slate of current and upcoming major comic book movies with top YouTube movie pundits, including Manu Bennett (TV’s Arrow), John Campea (AMC Movie Talk), Jeremy Jahns (YouTube film critic), Tiffany Smith (DC All Access), Kristian Harloff and Mark Ellis (Schmoes Know), and Jon Schnepp (AMC Movie Talk). 11:30am – 12:30pm: Spotlight on Bill Finger, the Co-Creator of Batman - Room 4 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the movie Batman, the 50th anniversary of Batman’s “New Look,” the 75th anniversary of Batman’s debut, and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bill Finger, the Caped Crusader’s uncredited co-creator. Not only did Bill Finger breathe life into Batman, Robin, Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, Gotham City, and one fantastic villain after another, he co-created bat-free icons such as Green Lantern, Wildcat, and Lana Lang. Bill’s only living descendants Athena Finger (The Cape Creator: A Tribute to Bill Finger) and her son Benjamin invite you to celebrate the life and achievements of the man who first put the dark in the Dark Knight. Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight) moderates a bat-tastic panel, featuring Bob Kane’s biographer Tom Andrae (Batman and Me), writer Mark Evanier (Bill Finger Awards), actress Lee Meriwether (Batman: The Movie’s Catwoman), author Marc Tyler Nobleman (Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman), Cartoons Arts’ Jens Robinson (son of Joker co-creator Jerry Robinson), and executive producer Michael Uslan (Batman, The Dark Knight film trilogy), plus special messages from legends like DC’s last surviving Golden Age artist, Wildcat co-creator Irwin Hasen. 11:30am – 1:00pm: Dreamworks Animation Hall H TBA 11:40am – 12:05pm: The Life and Death of Tommy Chaos and Stacy Danger - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina In this short action/adventure/fantasy film about a young couple on the run, dinosaurs have invaded Earth but neither Tommy nor Stacey cares anymore, now that they’ve met each other. They escape the war, but whether they dive to the bottom of the ocean or fly to Outer Space, conflict always seems to find a way into their lives. Participating panelists include Michael Lukk Litwak (writer/director/editor), Jean Claude Billmaier (producer), and Dan Romer (composer). 11:45am – 12:45pm: Halo: Nightfall: A First Look - Room 6BCF Prepare for your next step in the Halo Journey with a deep dive into Halo: Nightfall, the upcoming live-action digital series from 343 Industries and Scott Free Productions. Panelists include 343′s Kiki Wolfkill (executive producer) and Frank O’Connor (franchise development director) along with key Halo: Nightfall cast and crew. Be among the first to get the details of the story and production. 12:00pm – 1:00pm: CBLDF: Using Graphic Novels in Education - Room 30CDE Comics and graphic novels are amazing resources for inspiring a love of reading and learning among students of all ages. CBLDF experts Betsy Gomez, Meryl Jaffe, Carol Tilley, and more examine how to use comics in classrooms, and provide strategies for combating the confusion that often leads graphic novels to be targeted by censors. They’ll also offer suggestions for how to use specific comics in the classroom. Bring your challenges, questions and success stories! 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Charles Schulz and Social Commentary in Peanuts - Room 25ABC Through the unassuming medium of a daily comic strip, Charles Schulz gently communicated the social and political climate of the changing world around him. Explore the intersection of Peanuts and topical issues through the lens of today’s socially attuned humor in cartoons and television. Presentation by Corry Kanzenberg (curator, Charles M. Schulz Museum). Panel discussion and Q&A to follow with Seth Green (Robot Chicken, Family Guy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Art Roche (content director, Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates). Moderated by Tom Gammill (The Simpsons, Futurama, Seinfeld). 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Color Me RADD - Room 9 We wanna color you up! You’ll never look at color comics the same way again! Oni Press editor-in-chief James Lucas Jones and rock star colorists Lee Loughridge, Ryan Hill, and some special guests discuss the role of colorists in storytelling and the processes behind their particular brands of eye-melting magic. 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Comics Arts Conference Session #2: Clouds or Sunshine: Forecasting How Business and Law Will Affect Creativity in Comics - Room 26AB Law professor Marc H. Greenberg (Golden Gate University School of Law, author of Comic Art, Creativity and the Law) and business professor and futurist Rob Salkowitz (University of Washington, author of Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture) consider how changes such as derivative copyright law, digital delivery of comics, and transmediation will affect the creative process and the comics industry in the near and long-term future. 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Editing Comics the BOOM! Way - Room 28DE BOOM! Studios creators Paul Jenkins (Fairy Quest), James Tynion IV (The Woods), Megan Hutchison (An Aurora Grimeon Story: Will O’ the Wisp), Christopher Sebela (Dead Letters), and Frank Barbiere (Black Market), along with BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief Matt Gagnon and editor Dafna Pleban, look into the editing secrets of one of the comic book industry’s leading independent publishers and discuss editing dos and don’ts. 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Fairy Tale Remix - Room 32AB Toto, I’ve a feeling these aren’t your typical fairy tales…From cyborg Cinderellas to swashbuckling pirates, fairy tales are just full of possibilities for retelling and reimagining. A fantastic lineup of authors will discuss how they take well-known stories (such as Rapunzel, The Wizard of Oz, Tam Lin) and remix them for a new audience and how they create their very own fairy tales. Moderated by Shannon Hale (Ever After High series), this panel featuring Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles series), Katherine Harbour (Thorn Jack), John Peck (Charming series), Cornelia Funke (Mirrorworld series), Tony DiTerlizzi (The Search for WondLa), Ben Tripp (The Accidental Highwayman), and Danielle Page (Dorothy Must Die) will give insight to the fairy tales of old, and new! 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Meet Bill Plympton - Room 23ABC Meet Bill Plympton, “The King of Indie Animation,” and find out his plans for his new animated feature, Cheatin’. The film premiered at Slamdance in 2014 and is on the festival circuit now-find out what it took to run a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $100,000 to help finance the production of the film. Bill will screen some of his recent work, including music video The Deep End and clips from Cheatin’, and discuss his method for making hand-drawn cartoons in the new digital age. Also appearing will be Jim Lujan, who’s co-directing the upcoming animated feature Revengeance with Bill, so come and get an early look at this “biker revenge dark comedy.” Plus everyone who attends will get a free Bill Plympton drawing! 12:00pm – 1:00pm: The Pitching Hour - Room 5AB Jill Sanford (VP, Nickelodeon original series TV animation), Duncan Rouleau (executive producer, Man of Action), Kevin Burke and Chris “Doc” Wyatt (head writers, Avengers Assemble), Charlie Chu (editor, Oni Press), Lindsay Rostal (VP /producer, The Odd Gentlemen), Jennie Kong (publicist, Geek & Sundry), a surprise guest or two, and your moderator Dan Evans III (director current, Marvel TV Animation) will take an idea from conception through production for various media. This process will include creating a pitch document, obtaining agents, and getting a pitch meeting. The panelists will explain, through hypothetical example and humorous stories, the process that new creators should adapt to make their way through the creative battleground of the entertainment industry. Knowing that each project is unique, there will be a Q&A to allow the audience to really hone in on the solutions to obstacles they may encounter. Also on hand will be Brendan McFeely (IP lawyer, Kane Kessler) to give creators insight on protecting their ideas as they navigate Hollywood! 12:00pm – 1:00pm: The Smitten Word - Horton Grand Theatre Christina Lauren (Sweet Filthy Boy), Kresley Cole (Dark Skye), and Alice Clayton (Rusty Nailed) turn up the temperature at SDCC with blush-inducing readings, smutty discussion and a hilarious battle over movies, TV shows, and Hollywood’s hottest geeks. 12:00pm – 1:00pm: The Switch to Digital - Room 7AB ''' From mail to photographs and now comics, everything is making the move to digital. Comic-Con International special guests Colleen Coover (Bandette), Batton Lash (Supernatural Law), Jeff Smith (Bone), Rina Piccolo (Tina’s Groove), and Paul Tobin (Bandette) discuss with moderator Mark Waid (Daredevil) when and why they make the switch to digital. 12:00pm – 1:00pm: '''When Steampunk and Pop Culture Collide - Room 29A Karen Hallion (TeeFury pop artist) joins a lively discussion regarding why Steampunk continues to invade all aspects of pop culture, along with fellow Steampunks, maker Brian Uiga (Inspector Spacetime), writer Madeleine Holly-Rosing (Boston Metaphysical Society), and costumer CJ DeAngelus. They’ll explore how Steampunk has influenced comics, television, cosplay, and pop art. Moderated by Anastasia Hunter (chair and director of programming for Gaslight Gathering). 12:05pm – 12:35pm: The Adventures of Sheriff Kid McLain - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina The town of Ferro Grande is being threatened by Dirt Man Duke and the Lightning Gang ever since the Governor’s son rolled into town. Participating panelists include Gui Pereira (director, Pizza Me Mafia), Guile Branco (producer/actor, Why We Train), and Lara Horton (producer). 12:05pm – 1:10pm: Scorpion: World Premiere Screening and Panel - Ballroom 20 Discover the new CBS drama coming this fall, based on the true story of Walter O’Brien, an eccentric genius with the world’s fourth highest IQ who has created a company of brilliant misfits who use their mental muscle to defend the planet against complex high-tech threats of the modern age. In this high-octane thrill ride from the makers of Star Trek, Transformers, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and The Fast and the Furious, O’Brien’s team uses their exceptional brainpower to solve the nation’s crises, while also helping each other learn how to fit in. The world premiere screening of the pilot episode will be followed by a panel discussion with the real-life Walter O’Brien, along with series stars Elyes Gabel (World War Z), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), and Katharine McPhee (Smash),and executive producers Nick Santora, Nicholas Wootton, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Justin Lin. 12:15pm – 1:30pm: Comic-Con How-To: Advanced Digital Inking Techniques - Room 2 Learn how to digitally ink and take all your black-and-white artwork to the next level. Comics artist Brian Haberlin will delve into Photoshop’s treasure trove of features old and new-as well as features in other programs-that not only enhance comic applications, but make possible countless creative pen and ink opportunities rarely seen before. If you’re serious about your black-and-white artwork, this session is a must. Comic book creator, editor, writer, penciler, inker, and colorist Brian Haberlin is the co-creator of Witchblade, Anomaly, and many other comic books and graphic novels. 12:30pm – 1:30pm: Roddenberry Entertainment Presents - Room 24ABC Trevor Roth (COO, head of development, creator of Days Missing, Worth), Tory Mell (producer, Roddenberry Entertainment), Rod Roddenberry (CEO, Roddenberry Entertainment), Chris Moreno (artist, Worth), Aubrey Sitterson (writer, Worth), and Paul Morrissey (Eisner Award-winning editor) talk about their newest graphic novel Worth, their new short film Instant, and hold an awesome iPad Mini giveaway. Moderated by Tory Mell. 12:30pm – 1:30pm: Sony Pictures Entertainment - Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront Get your first look at two of next summer’s most anticipated films. First, Scholastic’s iconic book series Goosebumps, written by R. L. Stine, has already captured the world’s imagination-selling over 400 million books worldwide. Now it’s coming to the big screen, with Jack Black starring as the author himself and Rob Letterman directing. Jack and Rob will tell you all about how Stine’s monsters are coming to life on the big screen. The film hits theaters on August 7, 2015. Then, stay tuned as director Chris Columbus has a special video announcement about his upcoming film Pixels, starring Adam Sandler (in theaters May 15, 2015)-you’ll find out how one lucky Comic-Con badge-holder might win a chance to be a part of the movie. 12:30pm – 1:30pm: Still Pickled After All These Years - Room 4 Comic-Con special guest Brian Crane discusses his 25 years of creating the Pickles comic strip, using a PowerPoint presentation. He will give a behind-the-scenes look at how he got started and how he creates his daily comic strip, which is syndicated in over 800 newspapers around the world. The presentation will be followed by a short Q&A session. 12:30pm – 1:30pm: TNT’s Legends Screening & Panel - Room 6A TNT presents an exclusive screening of the new suspense-filled drama Legends from Homeland producers Howard Gordon and Alexander Cary and Fringe co-executive producer David Wilcox, starring Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) as Martin Odum, an undercover agent working for the FBI’s Deep Cover Operations (DCO) division. Martin has the uncanny ability to transform himself into a completely different person for each job. But he begins to question his own identity when a mysterious stranger suggests that Martin isn’t the man he believes himself to be. Following the screening, stars and producers will provide fans with an exclusive sneak peek at this new series and an opportunity to hear about the exciting first season. 12:30pm – 1:30pm: What’s At Comic Shops with Previews - Room 8 Before it’s at comic shops, it’s in the Previews catalog! This panel shows you how to use the Diamond Comic Distributors’ Previews catalog for preordering all of your favorite comics, graphic novels, toys, and other pop culture merchandise. Attendees will get a free copy of the August issue and have a chance to win other exciting prizes! Plus, see how Previewsworld.com interacts with the catalog to inform fans about everything they need to know to get what they want at their local comic shop. Panelists include Previews editor Marty Grosser, Previewsworld.com editor Vince Brusio, and Diamond consumer marketing manager Andy Mueller. 12:35pm – 1:00pm: Secondary Education - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina Three high school students discover that their chemistry teacher has been living a secret double life as a crime-fighting power ranger during an after-school detention, and they unwittingly become embroiled in a showdown with an escaped mutant lobster. A hybrid throwback to the educational after-school specials of the ’90s and the Japanese Tokusatsu genre. Participating panelists include Jon Truei (writer/director), Eric Lim (actor/executive producer), and Lincoln Smith (visual effects artist/executive producer). 12:45pm – 1:45pm: Behind the Scenes of Science Fiction in Movies and on TV - Room 6DE Jane Espenson (Husbands), Amy Berg (Eureka), Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Gale Anne Hurd (The Walking Dead) discuss what it’s like to create blockbuster science fiction in the media: their adventures and challenges, what’s working now, what the future will look like, and all the factors that will change how we consume our personal fandoms. Moderated by Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy Blog). 1:00pm – 1:25pm: The Proposal - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina On a first date, you always come armed. That’s what Jack and Sara discover when they decide to be deadly honest with each other to see if it’s really meant to be. Participating panelists include Geordie Sabbagh (writer/director), Jordan Gross (producer), and Master Tommy Chang (stunt coordinator and EP). 1:00pm – 1:30pm: Comics Arts Conference Session #3: British Comics, Genre, and the Special Relationship with American Comics Room - 26AB Chris Murray (University of Dundee) discusses the often-overlooked and peculiar history of British superheroes, arguing that they reflect the changing relationship between the two countries in the aftermath of World War II. Julia Round (Bournemouth University) investigates the use of gothic and horror tropes in British girls’ comics of the 1970s and 1980s, which, she argues, draw on some of the tropes of the previous generation of American horror comics. Phillip Vaughan (Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design) analyses British science fiction comics in terms of the influence from American comics, and considering their relationship to British and American television and film. 1:00pm – 2:00pm: A Mercs Life For Me: What It Takes to Be a Mandalorian - Room 29A James Sebree (San Diego chapter leader), Sal Attinello (Manda’galaar), Todd Mullin (Haran’galaar Clan), and Quinn Pendleton (member approval rep.) discuss the ins and outs of the Mandalorian Mercs Costuming Club. Topics include introduction to costume construction, overview of member requirements, and getting your costume approved. Also, Loren Toy (Manda’galaar) on 3D printing for costuming, and Kristina Schlosser (Haran’galaar clan) and Erica Heinrich (Manda’galaar) on building a custom female Mandalorian. 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Batman in the ’70s - Room 5AB In celebration of Batman’s 75th birthday, panelists look back at a crucial decade in the life of the Caped Crusader. It was a time of change as new writers and artists brought forth new interpretations of this classic character. On hand to discuss it are many of the those who were there: Neal Adams, Denny O’Neil, Michael Uslan, Len Wein, and Anthony Tollin, along with moderator Mark Evanier. 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Breaking into Comics Right Now - Room 28DE If you’re an aspiring comic book creator, this is a panel you don’t want to miss! BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief Matt Gagnon and managing editor Bryce Carlson, along with some of the industry’s most exciting up-and-coming and established talent, including Frank Barbiere (Black Market), Chris Miskiewicz (Thomas Alsop), Palle Schmidt (Thomas Alsop), Vanesa R. Del Rey (Hit, The Empty Man), Christopher Sebela (Dead Letters), and Royden Lepp (Rust), share their breaking-in experiences and give you the most up-to-date and practical advice on how to break into the comic book industry right now. 1:00pm – 2:00pm: CBLDF: The History of the Comics Code - Room 30CDE 60 years ago this month, comics were put on trial in a nationally televised Senate subcommittee hearing that had shattering repercussions for this great American artform. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund presents the shocking history of moral panic that led to this historic hearing and the birth of the Comics Code Authority, which regulated the medium’s content for more than 50 years. CBLDF executive director Charles Brownstein tells the tale at this CBLDF presentation. 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Drawing on Your Nightmares: Modern Horror in Comics - Room 23ABC Hot on the heels of the premiere of the Dark Horse comic turned television series The Strain, you are invited to explore the darker corners of comics. Horror has been one of the cornerstones of the Dark Horse publishing line for years, and 2014 will be no exception! Join panelists for an hour of all that is guaranteed to thrill and chill you, with resident horror junkies, editor-in-chief Scott Allie and PR director Jeremy Atkins, along with Eric Powell (The Goon), Mike Huddleston (The Strain), the first U.S. appearance of Colder artist Juan Ferreyra, and more for sneak peeks, announcements, and other surprises along the way! 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Evolving the League of Legends Experience - Room 6BCF The game’s always changing for League of Legends-it’s a constantly evolving universe. Whether it is adding new content, updating champions and maps, reworking gameplay, or just giving older art a fresh face, League of Legends is constantly trying to level up the quality and player experience wherever it can. Sit down with members of the art, game design, sound, and production teams as they share insights and swap stories from their time spent working on League of Legends. The panel will kick off with a discussion about current and recent releases before opening it up for Q&A. 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Female Heroes, Then and Now - Room 32AB This year marks the 25th anniversary of Heartbreakers, a groundbreaking science fiction series that was one of the first action comics starring female heroes, and the only one written by a woman when it debuted in Dark Horse Presents. Today, there are more women than ever reading and creating comics-not to mention cosplaying and writing about comics-but it seems a lot of the old biases are still entrenched. What’s changed in 25 years, and what hasn’t? Join Heartbreakers creators Anina Bennett and Paul Guinan, along with friends Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane), Kiala Kazebee (Vaginal Fantasy), Allison Baker (Monkeybrain Comics), and Claire Hummel (Bioshock: Infinite), for a lively discussion of sexism, science fiction, comic books, and geek culture. 1:00pm – 2:00pm: I Know That Voice: Insights from the Cutting Room Floor - Room 25ABC John DiMaggio (executive producer of IKTV, also the voice of Bender from Futurama, Jake The Dog from Adventure Time, IFC’s Out There, and many more) has reassembled the cast and crew of IKTV to take a deep dive into the hundreds of hours of documentary footage that didn’t make it to the big screen. Panelists Fred Tatasciore (Hulk, Ben 10, Mad), Andrea Romano (25-time Emmy nominee, 8-time Emmy winner for Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and more), Rob Paulsen (Darkwing Duck, Animaniacs), Lawrence Shapiro (director, IKTV), Dee Bradley Baker (Gravity Falls, Phineas and Ferb), and Steve Broback (Tweet House, IKTV Social Team), discuss behind-the-scenes stories, techniques that voice actors use to deliver great performances, and much more! 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Marvel: House of Ideas - Room 7AB Love having the best comics in the industry on your mobile devices? Want to know how Marvel stays on the cutting edge of technology while bringing you what you love? Want to learn more about Infinite Comics? Well, this panel is for you, True Believer! Get exciting news from Ryan Penagos (executive editorial director of digital) and other guests on what’s happening with the Marvel Comics App, Marvel AR, Marvel.com, Marvel’s vast social media presence, and more in this can’t-miss panel! 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Spotlight on Colleen Coover & Paul Tobin (How to Succeed in Comics Without Ever Crying) - Room 9 Comic-Con special guests Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover discuss their Eisner Award-winning digital comic Bandette, as well as such titles as Colder, I Was the Cat, Prometheus, Plants vs. Zombies, Angry Birds, Paul’s novels, and the commonsense fact that Hulk could beat Thor. 1:15pm – 2:00pm: Reign: Panel & Exclusive Sneak Preview - Ballroom 20 The saga of Mary, Queen of Scots continues when Reign returns for its second season this fall. Mary and Francis will rule a nation burning with plague, famine, and religious strife. Powerful lords will rise from the ashes, fears and superstitions will take terrifying forms, marriages deemed sacred will be violated; all as Mary tries to save herself and her friends, and Francis learns his true enemy might be his own family. An exclusive sneak preview at what’s to come in season 2 will be followed by a panel discussion with the cast Adelaide Kane (Teen Wolf), Megan Follows (Anne of Green Gables) and Toby Regbo (Mr. Nobody), along with executive producer Laurie McCarthy. 1:25pm – 1:55pm: Dog Food - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina When Declan, a butcher, loses his dog and best friend Ralphie, his life starts to unravel. Participating panelists include Michael Klein (producer). 1:30pm – 2:30pm: Avatar Press: Cutting-Edge Publishing and Mega Writers - Room 4 New York Times bestselling author Max Brooks (World War Z) and William Christensen (Avatar Press publisher) discuss the scoop on new projects and creators joining the Avatar Press lineup! Plus, an inside look at projects by Garth Ennis, Alan Moore, Kieron Gillen, and of course, Max Brooks. William Christensen moderates and runs the Q&A session for this event. 1:30pm – 2:30pm: Digital Manga - Room 8 The staff of Digital Manga, Inc. talk about the current state of the manga industry, their partnership with Tezuka Productions, and their newest releases and tell you how you can get started working in the manga industry. A few lucky attendees will also walk away with some great prizes. 1:30pm – 2:30pm: End of Series…or Not? - Room 24ABC Waiting for the next book in your favorite series to release can be agonizing…and yet, oh so worthwhile. Whether you’ve suffered through the wait time for each installment or held out until the release of the last book to binge read, bestselling series authors succeed at keeping countless readers hooked, book after book! Join authors Laini Taylor (Dreams of Gods & Monsters/Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy), Lev Grossman (The Magician’s Land/The Magicians Trilogy), Leigh Bardugo (Ruin & Rising/The Grisha Trilogy), Jonathan Maberry (Fire & Ash/Rot & Ruit Series), Ben H. Winters (World of Trouble/The Last Policeman Trilogy), Lynn Flewelling (Shards of Time/ Nightrunner Series), and Kresley Cole (Dark Skye/Immortals After Dark Series), as they chat with Maryelizabeth Hart (Mysterious Galaxy) about the trials and tribulations of plotting multinovel story arcs, keeping momentum going between books, and knowing when (if ever) to end a bestselling series. 1:30pm – 2:30pm: Science Fiction Author Cosplay - Horton Grand Theatre John Scalzi (Redshirts, Lock In) reads from his forthcoming near-future thriller, answers audience questions, and maybe even serenades them on the ukulele(!). 1:30pm – 2:30pm: The Giver - Hall H Twenty years in the making, fans of the novel can rejoice: The Giver is coming to the big screen. The Weinstein Company and Walden Media will premiere exclusive footage from the upcoming film with stars Jeff Bridges, Brenton Thwaites, Odeya Rush, director Phillip Noyce, and bestselling author Lois Lowry. 1:30pm – 3:00pm: Comedy Central: Key & Peele and Introducing Moonbeam City! - Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront Key & Peele stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who are best known for their impressive ability for improv, celebrity impressions, and conjuring up original characters including “Obama and Luther,” “The Valet Guys,” “Mr. Garvey, the Substitute Teacher” and the players from the annual “East/West College Bowl.” Whether it’s satirizing the President, spoofing musical acts, or taking on religion, Key & Peele showcases their chemistry, camaraderie and unique point of view, born from their shared background and experiences growing up biracial in a not quite post-racial world. Join the stars of Comedy Central’s Key & Peele as they go behind the scenes, reveal details on their upcoming new season, and more! Panel to be moderated by actor and comedian, Tom Lennon. – The party continues with a FIRST EVER look at Comedy Central’s newest animated series Moonbeam City. Moonbeam City is an absurdist take on the gritty, sex-drenched crime dramas from the 1980s. The series follows undercover detective Dazzle Novak (voiced by Rob Lowe), a handsome idiot who commits more crimes than most criminals. His tyrannical chief, Pizzaz Miller (Elizabeth Banks), won’t get off his back, and hotshot rookie Rad Cunningham (Will Forte) is dying to see him fail. With the world against him, Dazzle is thrust into a living nightmare: having to do actual police work. Join series creator and executive producer, Scott Gairdner and the voice of Dazzle, Rob Lowe, as they reveal details for the first time on Comedy Central’s next big animated series! Panel to be moderated by Moonbeam City head-writer, Tommy Blacha. 1:45pm – 2:45pm: The Last Ship: Season 1 Panel - Room 6A ''' TNT’s new action-packed drama The Last Ship-from executive producer Michael Bay-is the epic tale of the Navy captain and crew of the U.S.S. Nathan James who find themselves in the midst of a global catastrophe that nearly decimates the world’s population. Join the stars and producers as they provide details on the making of the series. In addition, fans will get to enjoy an exclusive sneak peek of the show. 1:45pm – 3:15pm: '''Comic-Con How-To: Gray Scale Copic Markers - Room 2 Adam Hughes will use the warm and cool gray Copic markers to render the tones on a drawing. Fellow artist Allison Sohn will narrate the process while Adam draws. Hughes has been working in comics for over 25 years. Some of his work from the past year includes a story in Batman Black and White as well as the covers to the Vertigo series Fairest and the Dark Horse series Rebel Heist. 1:55pm – 3:30pm: Savageland - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina When a small town near the Arizona-Mexico border is wiped out overnight, suspicion falls on the lone survivor. But a roll of photos the survivor took that night tells a different story. Participating panelists include co-writers/producers/directors Phil Guidry, Simon Herbert, and David Whelan. 2:00pm – 3:00pm: 1984′s Greatest Geek Movies: Big Brother Wasn’t The Only One Watching While Doves Cried - Room 5AB While Eurasia was still at war with Eastasia and Big Brother was watching you, some amazing movies slipped into cinemas and our panel of experts are going to wax on, wax off about the great geek year of 1984 as they look back at such films as The Terminator, Gremlins, Repo Man, Ghostbusters, Dune, Splash, This is Spinal Tap, Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, Star Trek III, Buckaroo Banzai, Body Double, The Karate Kid, Red Dawn, Night of the Comet, Once Upon a Time in America, This is Spinal Tap, and, of course, the incomparable Purple Rain. Celebrating the fact that they still love the ’80s will be Ashley E. Miller (Thor, new Terminator TV series), David E. Williams (editor, GEEK magazine), Robert Meyer Burnett (Star Trek: The Next Generation Blu-rays), Marc Berandin (The Hollywood Reporter), Steve Melching (The Clone Wars, Transformers Prime), Joe Kraemer (Jack Reacher), and moderator Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise, DOA: Dead or Alive). This panel is sure to get turned up to 11. 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Beyond Clichés: Creating Awesome Female Characters for Film, TV, Comics, Video Games, and Novels - Room 28DE Explore the past, present, and the future of female character creation for film, TV, comics, video games, and novels and examine the traps of common tropes, clichés, and stereotypes, while discussing how content creators can create wonderful, relatable, and realistic female characters with moderator Michele Brittany (West Coast Bleeding Cool News correspondent), Neo Edmund (Red Riding-Werewolf Huntress, Kaijudo Rise of the Duel Masters), Charlotte Fullerton (My Little Pony, Ben 10 Omniverse), Clare Kramer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Geek Nation), Marv Wolfman (Teen Titans, creator of countless comic book characters), Andrew Robinson (Kaijudo Rise of the Duel Masters, Rescue Bots), and Mairghread Scott (Transformers Prime, Rescue Bots). 2:00pm – 3:00pm: DC Digital: Download This! - Room 6DE DC Entertainment’s digital initiative has been a pioneer in digital comics. Get an exclusive look at the exciting series that make up the future of digital comics with the all-star talent behind them, including Ralph Garman (Batman ’66 Meets the Green Hornet), Marc Guggenheim (Arrow), Kyle Higgins (Batman Beyond), Kevin Smith (Batman ’66 Meets the Green Hornet), Cat Staggs (Sensation Comics), and others. 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Digital Color for Comics Room 30CDE In print or digital, comic books need color, but do you know how comic books are colored? Learn about the creative art of comic book coloring as Hi-Fi’s Brian Miller (DC’s weekly series Future’s End) and Kristy Miller (SpongeBob SquarePants) demonstrate step-by-step the transformation of a comic book page from black and white to full color. Learn the basics of flatting, rendering, color holds, and special effects, along with top digital coloring tips. Followed by Q&A session. 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Image Comics: I Is For…Infinity Room 23ABC The future of comics is bright, and Nick Dragotta (East of West), Rick Remender (Deadly Class), Richard Starkings (Elephantmen), Jason Latour (Southern Bastards), Stuart Moore (EGOs), and Ryan Burton (Dark Engine) are proof of that fact. Sci-fi, western, apocalyptic, kid-friendly. Realistic, cartoony, abstract, painterly. Anything goes in comics, and there are an infinite number of stories to tell. 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Jules Feiffer Goes Noir - Room 9 Oscar-Pulitzer-Eisner Hall of Fame winner Jules Feiffer turns to the noir genre with his new graphic novel Kill My Mother. Come hear a conversation with this comics pioneer who started with Will Eisner, went on to become one of the world’s most-read comic strip creators, and eventually conquered the Broadway stage and Hollywood. Now, preview his return to his first love with a daring new work that stretches his talent yet again. Questioning by comics historians Mark Evanier and Paul Levitz, as well as audience members. 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Pop Culture Happy Hour Podcast - Room 32AB National Public Radio’s lively weekly podcast began in 2010, co-created by NPR Monkey See writer-editor Linda Holmes and NPR Music writer-editor Stephen Thompson. Regular panelist Glen Weldon has kept comics commentary an essential ingredient, and Stephen’s mother (and Comic-Con Toucan blogger) Maggie Thompson has appeared on the show from time to time. Maggie’s Spotlight panel introduces the PCHH team to Comic-Con for a roundtable discussion. 2:00pm – 3:00pm: The 2000 AD Zarjaz Hour Featuring Judge Dredd - Room 29A Superstar creators Jock (Batman), Chris Burnham (Batman), Henry Flint (Judge Dredd), and Michael Carroll (Jennifer Blood) are all here as the legendary British comic book kicks off San Diego with all the 2000 AD and Judge Dredd talk and games you can handle! Moderated by 2000 AD’s Michael Molcher and definitely not for Thrill-suckers! 2:00pm – 3:00pm: The Art of Big Hero Six - Room 7AB Walt Disney Animation Studios presents director Don Hall, producer Roy Conli, production designer Paul Felix and character designer Shiyoon Kim as they share the visual development of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ November 7, 2014 film, Big Hero 6. The action-packed comedy adventure tells the story of robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius – thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tomago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion – a robot named Baymax – and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name. 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Wander Over Yonder - Room 25ABC Creator Craig McCracken and stars Jack McBrayer (30 Rock), April Winchell (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), and Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) explore the wonders of Disney XD’s newest series Wander Over Yonder. Find out what’s in store for the friendliest face in outer space with exclusive clips from upcoming episodes and an audience Q&A. The panel will also feature sneak peeks of two new animated shows coming to Disney XD! 2:15pm – 3:15pm: Blizzard Entertainment Showcase - Room 6BCF Chris Metzen (Blizzard Entertainment SVP story and franchise development) and a team of esteemed Blizzard guests reveal next year’s lineup of never-before-seen loot! Interact with designers, writers, and artists as they dig into toys, books, collectibles, and more! Panel and Q&A moderated by Kim Phan (host of DirecTV’s BlizzCon coverage). 2:15pm – 3:15pm: Greendale Forever: TV Guide Magazine’s Tribute to Community - Ballroom 20 Will “six seasons and a movie” come true? Has Greendale Community College been saved? What happens next to Jeff Winger and the study group? Moderator Michael Schneider, TV Guide magazine’s executive editor, joins Community creator Dan Harmon and members of the cast and producers as they recap last season (including Dan’s heralded return to the show) and discuss what the future holds for this fan-favorite comedy. 2:30pm – 3:30pm: Comics Arts Conference Session #4: Teaching Critical Comics in an Era of Standardization and the Common Core: The Pragmatics of a Transformative Pedagogy - Room 26AB Antero Garcia (Colorado State University) and Peter Carlson (Green Dot Public Schools) provide educators with specific planning and facilitation strategies for using graphic novels and comics in the classroom to enhance student participation, academic discourse, and achievement. Rubrics, lesson plan templates, and instructional questions will be provided for attendees. 2:30pm – 3:30pm: ComiXology: Ask Me Anything - Room 8 ComiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform, spills the beans on everything you’ve ever wanted to know about digital comics, publishing, life, and more! Learning everything from how to publish your own comic book through comiXology Submit to how to begin your own successful startup just like comiXology, from co-founders and panelists David Steinberger and John D. Roberts. Moderated by comiXology’s marketing & PR maven, Chip Mosher. 2:30pm – 3:30pm: Meet the Flintstones, Meet George Jetson: Hanna Barbera Beginnings - Room 24ABC Wouldn’t it be great to be a fly on the wall in 1963 in Hanna Barbera Studios with three men who helped make it such an essential part of cartoon history? Comic-Con special guest animator Willie Ito gathers his friends and cohorts Tony Benedict (writer, Flintstones, The Jetsons) and Jerry Eisenberg (layout artist, Flintstones, Jetsons) to discuss what made early Hanna Barbera into the powerhouse of cartoon history it became. Moderated by Leslie Combemale (film artist advocate/owner, ArtInsights Animation & Film Art Gallery). 2:30pm – 3:30pm: Spotlight on Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti - Room 4 Comic-Con special guests Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti, the award-winning writers of Harley Quinn, Painkiller Jane, and owners of the multimedia company Paperfilms, sit down for a talk in an intimate, interactive panel, discussing their work and future projects inside and out of comics. 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Adobe Photoshop: The Artist’s Journey - Room 30CDE Panelists Daniel Presedo (Photoshop imagineer), Chris Cox (Photoshop engineer), Brian Haberlin (Anomaly), and Rayce Bird (FaceOff) discuss how Adobe Photoshop is the world’s best digital imaging software. Find out what is new in the 2014 release and hear from these talented Pro’s as they present their insights, tips and tricks to Photoshop and answer your Photoshop questions! They will give away a one-year subscription to the Creative Cloud. 3:00pm – 4:00pm: ComicBase User Group Meeting - Room 29A Attention all comic collectors! ComicBase, the world’s premiere software program for managing comic collections, will be holding their annual user group meeting with creator Pete Bickford. This once-a-year presentation will discuss the latest features and news about ComicBase and Atomic Avenue. 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Gene Luen Yang in Conversation with Scott McCloud - Room 28DE Comic-Con special guest Gene Luen Yang (The Shadow Hero) and Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics) talk comics, creative processes, current and upcoming projects, and the general state of the industry. It’ll be awesome. 3:00pm – 4:00pm: I Can’t Write, I Can’t Draw, But I Love Comics! - Room 9 SDCC’s annual jobs panel is back-and with folks who are hiring! Just because you missed out on the writing and drawing genes doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for you in the comics, animation, and gaming industries. Panelists include Blur Studio animation supervisor/motion capture choreographer Derron Ross (Batman: Arkham City), PCB Productions CEO and gaming director Keith Arem (Call of Duty), Fox Digital Entertainment VP of mobile Matt McMahon (Family Guy app), and Man at Arms star/weapons maker Tony Swatton (Pirates of the Caribbean), who will discuss their gigs and ways into the biz you many not have even considered. Moderated by Fast Company’s Susan Karlin. 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Illustrators of the Art Directors Guild - Room 23ABC Illustrators and storyboard artists use their skills and imaginations to develop the transcendent visuals of the big screen, be it adventures on distant worlds or life in earthly hovels. Moderator Tim Burgard (Jurassic World, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) talks to Donna Cline (Bones), Stephen Platt (Oblivion, Iron Man), Trevor Goring (Thor: The Dark World, X-Men), and Darrin Denlinger (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron). 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Just What Does an Editor do? - Room 5AB We’ve seen the job title, but what does it mean? There are lots of answers — join veteran editors Barbara Randall Kesel, Bob Schreck, Joe LeFavi, Maggie Thompson, Shannon Eric Denton, and others for some of the many answers! 3:00pm – 4:00pm: NASA’s Next Giant Leap - Room 6A In honor of the 45th anniversary of the moon landing, join Seth Green (actor, creator, writer, director, and producer) in a far-out discussion on NASA’s plans for the future with Dr. Jim Green (NASA’s division director of Planetary Science), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11 Astronaut), Mike Fincke (NASA Astronaut), and “Mohawk Guy” Bobak Ferdowsi (Curiosity and Europa Missions). 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Outlander with author Diana Gabaldon - Horton Grand Theatre Diana Gabaldon (Outlander, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood) discusses her blockbuster bestselling novels and the highly anticipated STARZ original series, and reads from her 8th installment and #1 New York Times bestseller Written in My Own Heart’s Blood. With assistance from Ali T. Kokmen (Barnes & Noble/NOOK Media). 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Paramount Pictures - Hall H Paramount Pictures will provide an inside look at their upcoming films. Attendees will view exclusive footage presented by special guests and hear the latest news for some of the year’s most anticipated movies! 3:00pm – 4:00pm:' ' The 2nd Annual Musical Anatomy of a Superhero: Bringing a Comic Book to Life - Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront Leading Hollywood composers discuss the creation of the musical voice behind the hero, explain the challenges when bringing a comic book character or story to life, and writing music to reflect the story line. Panelists will show examples of their work, some from never-before-seen projects. Panelists include Brian Tyler (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Tyler Bates (Guardians of the Galaxy), Blake Neely (CW’s The Flash), John Ottman (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Graeme Revell (Fox’s Gotham), and Christophe Beck (Edge of Tomorrow), with a special guest moderator! 3:00pm – 4:00pm: The Most Dangerous Women at Comic-Con: Positive Portrayals of Women in Pop Culture - Room 7AB With so many damsels in distress, “fridged” girlfriends, and invisible women in popular culture, how’s a fangirl (or fanboy) supposed to find a lady to look up to? By banding together and making their own, that’s how! To discuss the best (and most disappointing) examples of powerful women in pop culture, Action Flick Chick Katrina Hill (Action Movie Freak) has assembled a team of women and men dangerous in their own right: Lesley Aletter (professional stuntwoman), Jenna Busch (Legion of Leia founder), Adrienne Curry (host/model/Tolkien enthusiast), Jane Espenson (Husbands), Alan Sizzler Kistler (TheMarySue.com), Bryan Q. Miller ( Batgirl), and Jennifer K. Stuller (Ink-Stained Amazon). 3:00pm – 4:00pm: The Writer’s Journey: Breaking into Comic Book and Hollywood Scriptwriting - Room 32AB This is part of the “Breaking In” series along with the Insight to Indies panel. If you are an unpublished writer with dreams of making it in the transmedia marketplace and you don’t know how or where to begin, this is the panel for you. Hollywood screenwriters and graphic novel producers Brandon M. Easton (ThunderCats 2011, Transformers: Rescue Bots), Geoffrey Thorne (TNT’s Leverage, Ben 10), Jonathan Callan (Ben 10, Generator Rex), animation showrunner Charlotte Fullerton (Ben 10: Omniverse), veteran screenwriter Tony Puryear (the Schwarzenegger film Eraser), and actress/writer Erika Alexander (Maxine Shaw from Living Single and co-creator/co-writer of Concrete Park, a graphic novel from Dark Horse) all share insider information, publishing secrets, and the professional realities on how to develop your ideas into a viable comics proposal. Topics include how to hire artists and build a strong contract, how to seek out a publisher, and how to navigate the tough new world of intellectual property management in the digital frontier. 3:00pm – 4:00pm: When Magic & Myth Meet Main Street - Room 25ABC When stories mix modern cities like Paris, L.A., and New York with magic, myth, and demon spawn, they are collectively known as Urban Fantasy, and many of today’s popular authors are adding their otherworldly ingredients to the melting pots of modern (and not-so-modern) society. Jim Butcher (Skin Game), Seanan McGuire (Sparrow Hill Road), Richard Kadrey (The Getaway God), Thomas Sniegoski (The Remy Chandler Series), Amber Benson (Calliope Reaper-Jones series), and Greg van Eekhout (California Bones) discuss why something old with something new equals gold. Moderated by Anton Strout (Incarnate). 3:15pm – 4:15pm: The Inspiration that Brought Far Cry 4′s Kyrat to Life and the Quest for Everest - Room 6DE Go behind the scenes with the research that went into building Far Cry 4′s open-world Kyrat for the next generation. The team traveled to Nepal with VICE to draw inspiration and create authentic Kyrati characters and environments native to the region. Also learn more about Far Cry 4′s Quest for Everest, when panelists pick a winner for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the first to play a video game on Mount Everest. 3:30pm – 3:55pm: H7N3 - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina A doctor struggles with his professional obligations as he attempts to diagnose a little girl’s alarming symptoms on the eve of a viral outbreak. Starring C. S. Lee (Dexter). Participating panelists include Iris K. Shim (director), Brian Birch (producer), and Lily Niu (producer). 3:30pm – 4:30pm: Captain Action’s Con Custom Contest - Room 24ABC Captain Action has invited 1/6th scale customizers to compete in the Captain’s Custom Figure Contest. As the Original Superhero Action Figure, Captain Action is all about customization, change and the power of imagination. Those attending the show can bring their creations in for review on stage where their entries will be shown on the big screen. Our panel of judges, and all the fans in the room, will review the six best finalists and award prizes! Additional bonus: Captain Action Enterprises will also reveal upcoming projects, prototypes, and products. Judges/panelists include: J. C.Vaughn (The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide), Marv Wolfman (New Teen Titans, Blade, Nova), Julius Marx (Action Figure Insider), Michael Polis (Atomic Toybox , Yo Gabba Gabba), and Michael Crawford (Captain Toy, MWC Toys). Moderated by Ed Catto (Captain Action). 3:30pm – 4:30pm: Comic-Con How-To: Introducing Maya 3 3D Modeling Software with Fella - Room 2 Join game artist Matthew Doyle for a trip through the process of designing and building a character for games, from 2D concept to 3D modeling, painting, and animating, and finally into a game engine. The tools used in the workflow will include Sketchbook Pro, Maya LT, Mudbox, and the Unity game engine! 3:30pm – 4:30pm: DC Comics: Batman 75: Legends of the Dark Knight - Room 6BCF In his 75-year publishing history, Batman has grown into one of the most popular and influential icons of all time. Don’t miss this historic panel with the legendary creators such as Neal Adams, Greg Capullo, Geoff Johns, Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, Denny O’Neil, and Scott Snyder, who have shaped the Dark Knight into the hero he is today. 3:30pm – 4:30pm: IDW Artist’s Editions - Room 4 Artist’s Edition editor Scott Dunbier blathers on and on about Artist’s Editions past, present, and future. There will be a couple of cool announcements as well as special guests Walter Simonson and IDW president (and art lover) Greg Goldstein-what more could you possibly want? 3:30pm – 4:30pm: Teen Wolf - Ballroom 20 MTV’s hit drama Teen Wolf returns to Comic-Con for the fifth consecutive year. The pack of Tyler Posey, Dylan O’Brien, Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden, and new cast members Shelley Hennig and Dylan Sprayberry, along with executive producer Jeff Davis, share secrets, debut a new mid-season trailer, and answer fan questions. Moderated by Buzzfeed senior editor Jarett Wieselman. 3:30pm – 4:30pm: That Again? Avoiding Repetition in Animated Features - Room 26AB In recent years, animated features have enjoyed an enormous financial success: the three top-grossing animated films of 2013 accounted for 10% of the total U.S. box office. Despite this unprecedented success, critics and filmmakers have complained of a sameness creeping into the design and story of many films. Charles Solomon, an internationally respected critic and author of 16 books on the subject, will lead the discussion about the state of the animated feature and its future as both a medium of artistic expression and a financially viable form of filmmaking. David Silverman (director, The Pink Panther), Doug Sweetland (director, Storks), and Morishima Taro (associate producer, Paprika) will join the discussion. 3:30pm – 4:30pm: The Sergio & Mark Show - Room 8 Usually, this is the panel where Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier make empty promises of more Groo the Wanderer to come. This time though, there actually is new Groo with the release of the long-awaited Groo Vs. Conan miniseries from Dark Horse, to be followed closely by a new series of new Groo stories and a new series of old Groo stories and you’ll hear all about it at the panel with Sergio and Mark and Stan Sakai and the world’s hardest-working colorist, Tom Luth. 4:00pm – 5:00pm: ASIFA-Hollywood: Animation in Video Games - Room 5AB What does it take to animate a video game? How does animation in video games differ from conventional animated media and where does it overlap? ASIFA-Hollywood invites you to join the panel for a lively discussion on the wide array of disciplines and possibilities in video game animation, which will include artists who have experience in CG key frame, motion capture, sprites, hand-drawn and dynamic animation. This is a panel aspiring game animators don’t want to miss! 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Breaking into Comics and Staying In - Room 30CDE With the shifting landscape of the comics industry, this is your invaluable guide to breaking into the comics industry. Comics Experience founder Andy Schmidt (Marvel and IDW) is joined by writers Joshua Williamson (Ghosted, Nailbiter) and Joshua Hale Fialkov (The Ultimates, The Bunker), Dark Horse editor-in-chief Scott Allie (Hellboy), and IDW Publishing editor-in-chief Chris Ryall (Zombies Vs. Robots) for what promises to be the best panel on breaking in ever! 4:00pm – 5:00pm: George R. R. Martin Discusses In the House of the Worm - Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones) discusses his novels, projects, and the visceral new In the House of the Worm comic book series. Moderator William Christensen (Avatar Press publisher) conducts this Q&A with Martin live and in person! 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Insights for Independent Creators - Room 32AB The Antidote Trust teams up with Eisner Award-nominated and creative writing force (live action and animation), Brandon Easton, for two hours of in-depth discussions. This first hour concentrates on independent comic creation. Panelists include Andre Owens (writer of the sci-fi superhero comic book Force Galaxia and writer/director for the web series The Psychedelic Detective), Dani Dixon (comic book creator of 13, M.I.S.//ing, Five Nations and publisher of Tumble Creek Press), Glyph Awards Rising Star 2014 recipient Jason Reeves (freelance illustrator for USA Today and co-creator of the comic book One Nation), Glyph Award recipient with Mr. Reeves Alverne Ball (classically trained writer and consultant for the film industry), Hannibal Tabu ( 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt winner who writes The Buy Pile for Comic Book Resources), and Robert Roach (TV and film story illustrator, comics creator of Menthu, and winner of the inaugural Glyph Rising Star Award). Moderated by DeWayne Copeland, co-creator and producer of the hit indie superhero webseries CV Nation. 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Kids’ Heroes, Capes, and Journeys: Does One Size Fit All? - Room 29A Graphic novel authors and educators discuss how kids’ heroes have grown and changed over the years. Discussing “Hero” templates, they’ll explore old and new hero favorites and whether a mold helps or hinders the development of future heroes. Panelists will then ask the audience to help create an SDCC 2014 hero as artist panelists draw/design/experiment with hero templates. Implications for fans, educators, students, and aspiring writers, and critics will be discussed. 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Putting the Epic in Epic Fantasy - Room 25ABC Swords, magic, and chivalric knights on white horses-or should that be morally ambiguous knights? In the age of Game of Thrones, the epic fantasy genre is changing. Patrick Rothfuss (The Slow Regard of Silent Things), Robin Hobb (Fool’s Assassin), Joe Abercrombie (Half a King), Raymond E. Feist (Magician’s End), Django Wexler (The Shadow Throne), Morgan Rhodes (The Falling Kingdoms series), and Sam Sykes (The City Stained Red) discuss their recent works and epic fantasy in general. Moderated by Brent Weeks (The Way of Shadows). 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Spotlight on David Lasky - Room 9 Eisner Award-winning artist and Comic-Con special guest David Lasky (The Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song) talks about his 25-year career in alternative comics and how it all led up to his recent historical graphic novels. Join David for this relaxed interview moderated by his old friend and former colleague Tom Spurgeon (ComicsReporter.com). A clip from the upcoming documentary Bezango, WA will be shown. 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Star Trek at 50: From ‘The Cage’ to Today - Room 23ABC The man The Los Angeles Times dubbed “the world’s foremost Trekspert,” Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise) moderates a panel celebrating five decades since filming began on the original Trek pilot starring Jeffrey Hunter. Panelists consist of a murderer’s row of Star Trek luminaries reflecting on 50 years of Trek history, including Scott Mantz (chief film critic, Access Hollywood), David A. Goodman (producer, Star Trek: Enterprise, author Federation: The First 150 Years), Marc Cushman (author, These Are the Voyages,Volumes 1-3), Ed Gross (legendary Trek journalist), Robert Meyer Burnett (producer, Star Trek: The Next Generation Blu-rays), Jeff Bond (author, The Music of Star Trek) and Chase Masterson (actress, Deep Space Nine). Look back…and forward…at sci-fi’s first franchise. It’s like nothing you’ve encountered before. 4:00pm – 5:00pm: The 9th Annual All-Star Comic Book Podcasters Panel - Room 28DE Get ready for a no-holds-barred debate/discussion of the current state of the geek marketplace. Like sports reporters at the World Series or Super Bowl, these podcast hosts voice their opinions on their weekly shows, but what happens when they face each other, and may not get the last word on a subject? Featuring John Siuntres (Word Balloon), Heath Corson (The Nerdist Writers Panel-Comics Edition), Calvin Reid (Publisher’s Weekly Comics World), Tim Beyers (The Motley Fool), John Mayo (Comic Book Page), and Glen Weldon (NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour). 4:00pm – 5:00pm: VIZ Media - Room 7AB Get the latest updates and exciting news from VIZ Media staff on your favorite manga and anime! There will be a special giveaway for attendees as well. 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Hollywood Location Scouts - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina Location scouts work with the director and production designer to translate their cinematic visions to reality by traveling the world to seek out exactly where the movies will be made. Six location scouts will discuss the creative and logistical aspects of their jobs, relate some exciting anecdotes, and answer audience questions. Moderator Scott Trimble (Tomorrowland) joins panelists Chris Baugh (Transcendence), Mandi Dillin (Iron Man 3), Ann Goobie (X-Men: The Last Stand), J. J. Hook (Transformers: Age of Extinction), and Michael John Meehan (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End). 4:15pm – 5:15pm: Skybound’s The Walking Dead - Room 6A Dive into the world of the Eisner Award-winning The Walking Dead graphic novel series with creator Robert Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard. Moderated by The Walking Dead editor Sean Mackiewicz. 4:30pm – 5:30pm: Anime Programming in the U.S. Room 26AB Amanda Nanawa (director of programming, FUNimation Channel), Jill Snider (senior programming manager, acquisitions, Starz), Azusa Kudo (international business development, Bang Zoom!), and Mario Rodriguez (digital development manager, Group 1200 Media/FUNimation) offer insight on programming anime for the U.S. audience. Panel moderated by Malik Forté (gaming editor, Nerdist Industries). 4:30pm – 5:30pm: Creation of Creature Room 24ABC Neville Page (Avatar, Star Trek, Tron, Prometheus, Noah) will be sharing his techniques and vision for creating creatures and characters in the entertainment industry. Examples will be shown from various productions as well as tips and tricks from his upcoming book, Beauty in the Beast. 4:30pm – 5:30pm: Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries - Hall H A discussion between a couple of blockbuster directors on the art of filmmaking and a wide-ranging discussion about the future of film. 4:30pm – 5:30pm: Marvel: Avengers & X-Men AXIS - Room 6DE Are you ready for Marvel’s biggest event of the year? In Avengers & X-Men: AXIS, the Red Skull has enslaved thousands, has amassed an army, and now broadcasts his message of hate across the world. Earth’s last hope hinges on the fragile alliance of two estranged teams-the Avengers and the X-Men! A who’s who of Marvel talent and editors will be on hand to discuss this Marvel blockbuster! Plus, find out the latest on current and future X-titles! Join editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, executive editor Mike Marts, senior editor Nick Lowe, Avengers & X-Men: AXIS writer Rick Remender, and other Mighty Marvel guests for a rousing discussion and Q&A session! 4:30pm – 5:30pm: Q&A: New York Times Bestseller, Gregg Hurwitz, Interviewed by Howard Chaykin - Room 4 Comic book legend Howard Chaykin interviews New York Times bestselling author, comic book writer, and Comic-Con special guest Gregg Hurwitz (Tell No Lies, Batman: The Dark Knight) about comics, crime fiction, TV, movies, and all other order of fictional mayhem. 4:30pm – 5:30pm: Thunderbirds at 50 - Room 8 As Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s iconic Thunderbirds series turns 50 next year, Jamie Anderson (Anderson Entertainment) executive producers of the new Thunderbirds Are Go series Richard Taylor (Jane and the Dragon, The Wot Wots, LOTR), and Giles Ridge (Harry Potter: Behind the Magic, The Illustrated Mum) talk about heritage programs, and the importance of remaining true to the ethos that made the show so successful first time around. Join the Thunderbirds team for this Q&A, moderated by head writer of the new series Rob Hoegee (Slugterra, Generator Rex, Teen Titans). 4:45pm – 5:45pm: Comic-Con How-To: Tips on pitching Product/Yourself - Room 2 Matt Hawkins and John Nee present a discussion on how to pitch. They will talk about pitching your ideas and provide some mock pitches where they will alternate being the person pitching and person being pitched to. Writer, physicist, and social media maven Matt Hawkins has published over 1,000 comic books in his 21-year career at Image Comics and Top Cow and has created and/or written many, including Think Tank, Aphrodite IX, The Test, Alibi, Lady Pendragon, and Tales of Honor. Despite producing TV series, feature films, and video games, Matt still considers himself to be a comic book dude. John Nee was senior VP of business development for DC Comics, where his responsibilities included operational oversight of two publishing imprints (WildStorm and CMX Manga), global licensed publishing, international rights, interactive entertainment, book trade sales, and circulation and subscriptions for MAD magazine and DC Comics. 4:45pm – 5:45pm: Hannibal: Embrace the Madness Ballroom 20 Join the creative minds behind the award-winning TV seriesHannibal. The menu will include executive producer/creator Bryan Fuller, executive producer/writer Steven Lightfoot, director David Slade, executive producer Martha DeLaurentiis, and stars Caroline Dhavernas (Dr. Alana Bloom), Scott Thompson, and Aaron Abrams (Special Agents Jimmy Price and Brian Zeller), in a panel moderated by Jonathan Ross. They’ll serve behind-the-scenes discussion from the second season, paired with sneak previews of what’s to come in season 3, not to mention a few surprises along the way. Bon appétit, Fannibals! 4:45pm – 5:45pm: The World of Capcom Room 6BCF Moderator Francis Mao (Capcom) and a panel of Capcom staff members share the latest updates on all the hot, new Capcom games, including Ultra Street Fighter IV, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Dead Rising 3, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, plus sneak peeks at all the latest cool Capcom merchandise and maybe a surprise or two. 5:00pm – 5:30pm: We Wanted More - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina A psychological thriller about a singer who loses her voice on the precipice of her first world tour, We Wanted More is a hypnotic fever dream about the sacrifices a young artist makes for her career. Participating speakers include Jennifer Shin (producer) and Margaret Rose Lester (writer, Avenue of the Stars). 5:00pm – 6:00pm: An Unofficial Look at the Final Middle-Earth Film: The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies - Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront This is it, the final Middle-Earth movie from Peter Jackson and New Zealand. The staff of TheOneRing.net, reporting the productions and all things Tolkien for 15 years, takes a non-studio-sanctioned look at what to expect from the end of The Hobbit trilogy. Rumors, conjecture, truths, and spy reports combine to prepare audiences for the final Tolkien cinematic chapter. 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Breaking Barriers: Transgender Trends in Popular Culture - Room 28DE In recent years, transgender creators have gained visibility in comics, movies, and television after long being consigned to the shadows. From coming out and transition to navigating gender politics in a world still struggling to understand, cartoonists, writers, and filmmakers are investing their work with unique personal experiences as their characters learn to live and love in new and unexpected ways. Prism Comics and moderator Tara Madison Avery (Dirtheads, Gooch, Prism Comics) present panelists Dylan Edwards (Transposes), Melanie Gillman (As the Crow Flies), J. D. Saxon (Mahou Shounen Fight!), Elizabeth Lain (F*** the Limits!: The 30-Day Art Project, This Is Where), Ashley Love (Trans Forming Media, journalist, transsexual advocate), and Comic-Con special guest, famed comics historian Michelle Nolan (Love on the Racks: A History of American Romance Comics) for an exploration of a range of exciting new themes and stories for contemporary audiences. 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Color Design in Comics - Room 32AB Some of the most memorable color decisions in comics can happen before the first page is drawn. Ian Herring (Ms. Marvel), Ryan Hill (Judge Dredd: Mega-City Two), Sloane Leong (Change), and José Villarrubia (Trillium) discuss the art of color design with moderator Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics). 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Costume Designer’s Guild: Costumes as a Career - Room 23ABC Ever wanted to know what it takes to design costumes for some of the biggest TV shows and movies? I.A.T.S.E. Union Local 892 Costumer Designers Guild has put together a panel of experts to fill you in. Panelists include Kristin Burke, costume designer (Sleepy Hollow); Brigitta Romanov, assistant costume designer (Glee); Gina Dedomenico, costume illustrator (Godzilla); and Cate Adair (VP, Costume Designers Guild Local 892 Union), as well as Eddie Marks (Western Costume Company), Celia Sedwick Rogus (creative director, FIDM Film & TV Costume Design Advanced Study Program), and Shane Mahan (co-founder of Legacy Effects). Moderated by Chrisi Karvonides (UCLA-Theater Film & TV Costume Design Program department head, CDG Member). 5:00pm – 6:00pm: DC Comics-Master Class: Art History - Room 30CDE Class is in session, as some of the greatest artists in the industry-Lee Bermejo (Before Watchmen: Rorschach, upcoming Suiciders), John Romita Jr. ( Superman), Nicola Scott (Earth 2)-take this panel to school with an in-depth look at their creative process. DC Comics is proud to spotlight these talented individuals for this exclusive, all-access look at what it’s like drawing for DC. 5:00pm – 6:00pm: How to Kickstart Your Dream Like a Pro - Room 25ABC A lineup of all-star creators who’ve used Kickstarter to launch their dream projects help you learn first-hand from the pros how to create your own successful Kickstarter campaign. Panelists include legendary TV writer/producers Jane Espenson and Brad “Cheeks” Bell (Husbands), comics icon Jimmy Palmiotti (Denver, Forager), and artist extraordinaire John Picacio (The 2014 John Picacio Calendar). Moderated by Craig Engler (Kickstarter). 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Spotlight on Eleanor Davis - Room 9 Eleanor Davis (How to be Happy) will do an autobiographical presentation that has something to do with finding truth in fiction & the strange passions inside an author/reader relationship. 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Teaching Content Through Comics: Math, Science, and History - Room 29A Comics and graphic novels are highly effective tools not only for improving literacy but also for teaching mathematics, science, and history/social studies. Join the experts from Reading With Pictures as they present the best in comics and graphic novels for teaching in content areas, including recommended titles and lesson ideas, and hear from the creators of some of the best graphic texts for content study. Moderated by Tracy Edmunds (curriculum director at Reading With Pictures) and featuring Nick Dragotta (Howtoons), Geoffrey Golden (Sesame Street), Chuck Dixon (The Forgotten Man), Jonathan Hennessey (The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation), and Josh Elder (Comics That Make Kids Smarter). 5:00pm – 6:00pm: The Fusion of Art and Style in Sunset Overdrive - Room 5AB A critically acclaimed artist group famous for its renditions of limited-run movie posters will showcase its first-ever video game-inspired print for Sunset Overdrive, a new open-world action game coming exclusively to the Xbox One this fall. Audience members will get to hear from Ted Price (president and CEO of Insomniac Games), Drew Murray/Marcus Smith (Sunset Overdrive), and the lead artist as they discuss the creation of the print as well as key game features for Sunset Overdrive. 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Understanding Stories: The Making of a Graphic Novel - Room 7AB Comics creator and author Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics) literally wrote the book on making comics. Now he’s returned to fiction with The Sculptor, a nearly 500-page epic story of love, loss, art, and memory. Join the man Frank Miller called “just about the smartest guy in comics” for a fast-moving visual presentation on the challenges of building stories, bringing characters to life on the page, and constructing the worlds they live in. 5:30pm – 6:10pm: The Dark Shift - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina Alex has been convinced for some time that something otherwordly lives in the bookstore where he works. He takes a late-night inventory shift to find it once and for all, but whatever he’s looking for is about to find him first…Participating panelists include writer/director Colin Johnson (artistic director, BattleStache Studios) and lead actor Joshua Han (co-founder, BattleStache Studios). 5:30pm – 6:30pm: Cartoon Hangover: Bee and PuppyCat and Friends - Room 6A Frederator’s Cartoon Hangover channel presents Bee and PuppyCat and Friends, with the creator of Bee and PuppyCat, Natasha Allegri, and the cast and crew of the most successful crowdfunded animation series ever, including the voice of Bee, Ally Rachel; the voice of Deckard, Kent Osborne; Efrain Farias (art director); character designer Becky Dreistadt; writer (and voice of Wallace) Frank Gibson; and writer Madeleine Flores. Cartoon Hangover will also present the upcoming short film Manly and a conversation with the creators Justin Moynihan and Jesse Moynihan. Moderated by Frederator’s VP of development, Eric Homan. 5:30pm – 6:30pm: FUNimation Industry Panel - Room 24ABC From Akira to Dragon Ball Z, hear the latest news and information from North America’s largest anime distributor-FUNimation. 5:30pm – 6:30pm: Mad About MAD - Room 4 MAD, the country’s #1-selling humor magazine (in a field of 1), is dumber than ever! MAD editor John Ficarra and art director Sam Viviano take a ridiculous peek at what’s happening at the magazine, and an epically moronic Q&A that’s bound to be, well, MAD! (Prizes will be awarded for most moronic questions!) 5:30pm – 6:30pm: Making a Living in Manga: In Japan! - Room 26AB What’s it like to work as a comics creator in Japan? What does it take to get your manga published in top magazines like Shonen Jump or Morning? How do you get a job as an assistant to a top manga-ka (comics artist)? Felipe Smith (writer/artist, All-New Ghost Rider, Peepo Choo, MBQ), Jamie Lynn Lano (former assistant manga-ka on The Prince of Tennis, author and artist, www.jamieism.com), and Steve Cummings (Wayward, Uglies, and Pantheon High) are three people who lived the dream in the motherland of manga, and boy, have they got stories to tell! They, along with editor/manga publishing pro Lillan Diaz-Pryzbyl (head comics editor, Sparker Monthly, former senior editor, TOKYOPOP Inc.), offer insights about what it really takes to make a living in manga in Japan (and North America), followed by what should be a lively Q&A session moderated by Deb Aoki (editor, MangaComicsManga.com). 5:30pm – 6:30pm: Pitch Your Comic to Mark Waid and Thrillbent - Room 8 Think you have a one-shot digital comic in you that the world should see? Here’s your chance to pitch it to Mark Waid (Daredevil, Superman: Birthright, Empire), James Tynion IV (Batman, The Eighth Seal, The House in the Wall), Christina Blanch (The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood),Chris Mancini (Comedy Film Nerds), Nicholas Rucka (Kitchen Death Match), Lori Matsumoto (Thrillbent general manager), and Raygun (Thrillbent web development/design). They’ll listen to your verbal pitch and select the best they hear for further development. Along the way, there’ll be frank discussion about how Mark and his partners do what they do, what works and doesn’t work in digital comics, what makes this medium unique, and what new projects are coming up from Thrillbent! 5:45pm – 6:45pm: Witches of East End - Room 6DE Darkness is rising! Get an exclusive look at what’s in store as season two unfolds, plus an audience Q&A with the entire star-studded cast: Julia Ormond, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Rachel Boston, Mädchen Amick, Daniel DiTomasso, and Eric Winter, plus executive producers Rich Hatem (Supernatural, Grimm) and Maggie Friedman (Eastwick). 6:00pm – 7:00pm: A Universe of Terror Drawn to One Panel: Aliens, Predator, Prometheus, and Beyond - Room 9 Nearly 30 years ago, Dark Horse rewrote the rules of licensed comics with the release of Aliens, continuing the story lines of Ridley Scott’s iconic film franchise. Predator and the iconic crossover Aliens Vs. Predator followed, with each series practically outselling the last. Now, the publisher partners with Scott again, to bring sci-fi epic Prometheus to comics. With just under two months away from the launch of the ambitious and highly anticipated crossover, Fire and Stone, Dark Horse editor-in-chief Scott Allie, writers Chris Roberson (Aliens), Joshua Williamson (Predator), Christopher Sebela (Aliens Vs. Predator), and the Prometheus team of Paul Tobin and Juan Ferrerya, reveal just what’s in store for this grand universe! 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Batman ’66 - Hall H Holy Bat Panels! Get all the details on the most anticipated home entertainment release in fanboy history when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment reunites pop icons Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar on the Hall H stage for a Bat-tastic look at Batman: The Complete TV Series. The actors behind Batman, Robin. and Catwoman, along with moderator Ralph Garman, will give you an inside sneak peek at all the exclusive content within this blockbuster home entertainment release, as well as exhibiting dazzling HD remastered footage from the landmark series. Batman: The Complete TV Series will be released in November 2014. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Breaking into Animation Writing - Room 32AB How do you get in? How do you get that first assignment? Craig Miller (Curious George, Beast Wars) leads a panel including Charlotte Fullerton (Ben 10: Omniverse, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic), Patrick Rieger (Thunderbirds Are Go), Dean Stefan (X-Men, Darkwing Duck), and Cort Lane (VP, animation development & partnerships, Marvel Studios) who will tell you the truth about what you need to know and do. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Childrens Hospital Special Video Presentation and Q&A - Room 25ABC Adult Swim’s two-time Emmy-winning live-action comedy returns to Comic-Con for a fifth year! Creator and star Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) will share an exclusive video sneak peek at season 6, and will be joined onstage by select cast for a lively and medically accurate Q&A. From Abominable Pictures, The Corddry Company and Warner Bros. Television Group’s Studio 2.0, Childrens Hospital will premiere with new episodes on Adult Swim in 2015. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Comic-Con How-To: Break into Digital Comics using the Motion Book Tool - Room 2 From Batman to My Little Pony, Madefire and DeviantArt have revolutionized the comic book online. Learn how to publish your comic to DeviantArt in less than 5 minutes using Madefire’s unique cloud-based tool! Panelists for this session include Dave Gibbons, Bill Sienkiewicz, Liam Sharp, Yuumei, and Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Figure Drawing for Popular Media - Room 30CDE Emilio Soltero, Ph.D. (John Buscema: A Life in Sketches), and panelists present a primer on drawing the figure for popular media, including drawing for comics and character design. The focus will be on anatomy and figure drawing. There will be time to draw as well. Professionals and beginners are welcome. Bring your drawing supplies to draw models/cosplayers during this interactive presentation. Come ready to take notes and to draw. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: geekEd. IV: A New Hope-Bringing Geek Back to Higher Education - Room 29A Come interact with a panel of educators from across the country as they share how they make the most of their geek identities in their jobs and in their campus communities! Alex Belisario (UC Santa Cruz), Alfred Day (University of California, Berkeley), Eugene Frier (University of North Texas), Brian MacDonald (Rutgers University), and Patricia Nguyen (UCLA) are excited to share their stories of building personal connections with geek students, developing programs that create excitement, fostering inclusive communities, and enhancing the geek college experience. Joining them this year are Geralyn Williams and Eric Francisco from Rutgers University to share their unique student perspective. If you are an industry or marketing professional, work in higher education, attend or want to attend college (or know someone who does), this panel is for you! 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Goonies Never Say Die - Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront With Richard Donner’s announcement that a sequel to his beloved 1985 classic The Goonies is on the way, join Goonies cast members to explore how it became an iconic movie for an entire generation, why the film has stood the test of time, and possible insights into the much anticipated sequel. Clare Kramer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) moderates a panel of cast members and special surprise guests, including a Q&A session. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: LGBT Geek Year in Review - Room 28DE In the past few years, the geek world has been filled with many noteworthy moments of importance to the queer fan. Some were fabulous, some were unfortunate, some were misguided, and some were “blink and you missed it.” LGBT activist and columnist P. Kristen Enos (Active Voice, Creatures of Grace) leads a discussion with Diane Anderson-Minshall (The Advocate), Trish Bendix (AfterEllen.com), Matt Kane (GLAAD), and Sean Z. Maker (Bent-Con) on the events of LGBT interest in the past year, why they think they were so important, and what they might mean for the future for LGBT fans. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Masquerade 101 - Room 23ABC For costumers, future costumers, and those who simply enjoy watching on-stage costuming, this brief overview of fan convention costume competitions will discuss their workings, their history, how contests differ from one type of convention to another, how judging is done, and creating original designs and re-creations, plus costume research, planning, fabrication, and stage presentation tips for taking a costume creation from beginning idea to stage-ready showpiece-and most important, how to have fun doing it! Presented by Comic-Con Masquerade director for the past 23 years Martin Jaquish, Masquerade assistant John Ruff, award-winning fan costumer Allan Lavigne, and award-winning member of the HCC cosplay group, Judy Grivich. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Showtime: Penny Dreadful - Ballroom 20 Creator and showrunner John Logan is joined by spellbinding stars Josh Hartnett (Ethan Chandler), Reeve Carney (Dorian Gray), and Harry Treadaway (Victor Frankenstein), as the monstrous new series possesses Ballroom 20. Enter the demimonde to find out what moments haunt the writer and cast from the first season and view a sneak peek to see what the cards reveal about the season ahead. The panel will be moderated by Emmy Award-nominated actress and host Aisha Tyler (Archer, The Talk), followed by a Q&A session with the “Dreadfuls.” Penny Dreadful returns to Showtime in 2015. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Skylanders - Room 7AB The Skylanders team offers an inside look at the creative process that brings toys to life-and for the first time, life to toys. A talented cast of panel participants will discuss everything from the process of creating Skylanders’ charming roster of characters, to the critical role that voice-over acting plays in animating each character. Comic book writer David A. Rodriguez and editor David Hedgecock will also delve into the comic world of Skylanders and how this brand extension is taking Skylanders to a new level. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: The Heroes of Star Wars Rebels - Room 6BCF The almost 20-year stretch of Star Wars history between Episodes III and IV is a dark time in the galaxy that has never before been explored on screen. The evil Galactic Empire has tightened its grip and only a select few are brave enough to stand against tyranny and ignite a rebellion. Join Star Wars Rebels executive producers Dave Filoni and Simon Kinberg as well as series stars Freddie Prinze, Jr., Vanessa Marshall, Steve Blum, Tiya Sircar, and Taylor Gray for an exclusive preview of what’s to come this Fall on Disney XD in this eagerly awaited television series from Lucasfilm Animation. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Vertigo: Defy Conventions - Room 5AB Vertigo is ready to blow your mind with trend-setting comics and topnotch talent, including Lee Bermejo (upcoming Suiciders), Mark Buckingham (Fables, Fairest), Tula Lotay (Bodies), Simon Oliver (FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics), Scott Snyder (American Vampire, The Wake), and others! From horror to mythic fiction to sci-fi and beyond, see what amazing new ideas are coming your way from the imprint that’s on a mission to defy all your expectations! 6:10pm – 6:50pm: From the Woods - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina A recently single mother must learn to let go of her fear and obsession over her abusive husband in order to save her son from the Slender Man hiding in the woods near their new home. Participating panelists include Nicolas Wendl (director), Jamil Afzali (producer), and Cameron McIntyre (actor). 6:30pm – 7:30pm: Firefly Online: Bringing Back the ‘Verse - Room 24ABC Firefly Online (FFO), the first and only officially licensed video game based on the cult-hit TV show Firefly, aims for nothing less than to bring Firefly back to life for millions of fans. Executive producer Andy Gore, technical director John O’Neill, voice-over and casting director Andrea Romano (Batman: The Animated Series plus many others), game director Adam Cogan, art director Ben Lichius, and composer David Joseph Wesley present the first official public demonstration of FFO. FFO is a multi-user strategic role-playing game set in the universe of Joss Whedon’s beloved TV show Firefly. You’ll see how to get a ship, hire a ragtag crew, and do whatever it takes to survive in The Black! The demonstration will be followed by Q&A. Also, expect a few surprises. 6:30pm – 7:30pm: Indie Comics Marketing & PR 101 - Room 8 Have a comic but don’t know how to get it in front of the most people possible? Learn essential marketing and PR tips and tricks from the industry’s best in this roundtable discussion, revealing all the secrets of pulling off effective marketing & PR to get your comic noticed. Host Chip Mosher (comiXology’s marketing & PR maven) is joined by BOOM! Studio’s dynamic marketing & PR duo Mel Caylo and Christine Dinh, along with Fantagraphics Books’s stellar PR and marketing team Jacq Cohen and Jen Vaughn, for an inspiring and wide-ranging discussion that will teach you how to market yourself and your comic to the widest audience possible. 6:30pm – 7:30pm: Manga: Lost in Translation - Room 26AB Manga sales have started coming back from the recession lows, and simultaneous publishing is starting to make inroads. So how are the people in the industry faring? Questions will be answered, and stories will be told! Hear it directly from long-time professionals William Flanagan (Fairy Tail), Jonathan Tarbox (Fist of the North Star), Stephen Paul (One Piece), Ed Chavez (marketing director, Vertical), Nathan Collins (Battle Royale Remastered), and Lillian Diaz-Przybyl (head editor, comics, Chromatic Press). 6:30pm – 7:30pm: What Video Games Can Teach - Room 4 Advocating for a learner-centered approach often brings up the question, “Won’t my kids just play video games all day?” Although the answer to that is multifaceted, no experience is devoid of learning. In fact, some experiences may have more opportunities for development than first believed. Genese Davis (The Holder’s Dominion, MMORPG.com, The Gamer in You) and special guest speakers discuss the benefits and potential drawbacks to video games and how to navigate both. This high-powered panel will plunge into video game culture and its social development, divulging how video games affect our lives and education. 6:45pm – 7:45pm: Bad Hat Harry and Geek & Sundry Get Spooked Again! - Room 6A The cast and crew of Spooked reveal what’s next for the Paranormal Investigation Team! Executive produced by Bryan Singer (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Sheri Bryant, Jason Taylor, and Felicia Day, Spooked is a paranormal comedy following the “Paranormal Investigation Team” (P.I.T.) as they set out to uncover the awesomeness of the unknown. The show stars Julian Curtis (Captured), Neil Grayston (Eureka), Ashley Johnson (The Killing), Derek Mio (Greek), and Shyloh Oostwald (In Time). Meet the cast and crew, including director Richard Martin and creator Michael Gene Conti, as they look into the show’s future! 6:50pm – 7:15pm: Trauma - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina Proof that there’s nothing lurking in the attic of her childhood home is the only thing standing between Isabelle and freedom. But even with her doctor’s insistence, something still feels dreadfully amiss. Participating panelists include Ethan Young (director, writer, editor), Hannah Baker (production designer), and Adrien DeFontaine (director of photography). 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Everything Old Is New Again: The ’90s Live On! - Room 29A Vintage and retro are still hot with Boomers and Gen X, but Millennial collectors are now coming into the marketplace looking for their childhood “new classics” toys of the 1990s! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Batman Animated, and Aliens are all on the rise again and in demand (to say nothing of the My Little Pony renaissance!). Can Furby’s comeback be far behind? Come talk to creators and collectors of all generations about Total Justice, Street Sharks, and Dexter’s Lab among many other totally rad ’90s toys and find out what Clinton-era toyline is now the “new Star Wars” for collectors! Moderator Daniel Pickett (ActionFigureInsider.com, Geek Shall Inherit podcast) discusses this and much more with a panel of toy industry experts, including Reis O’Brien (Funko), Jeff Trojan (Playmates Toys), Kevin Kiniry (DC Collectibles), Randy Falk (NECA), and Jeremy Sung (Spy Monkey Creations). 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Hip-Hop & Comics: Cultures Combining - Room 23ABC Hip-Hop and comics reflect each other in many ways: graffiti and album covers incorporate superheroic imagery, rappers adopt secret identities and grandiose aliases, writers base their characters in urban settings, and artists draw on Hip-Hop’s rich visual vocabulary. Both forms thrive on excitement and energy, inspire passionate fanbases, and have risen from modest beginnings to achieve global recognition. Here, Patrick A. Reed (Depth of Field magazine) brings together graphic artists and musical innovators to discuss the ties between these two creative cultures. 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Inside the Voice Actors Studio - Room 30CDE Bang Zoom! Entertainment brings you this one-hour panel/workshop about voice acting that covers practical dubbing techniques, important issues such as studio protocol, and what to expect at your first audition. This is a great opportunity for attendees interested in the voice-acting profession to get firsthand advice and experience from the pros in an intimate yet dynamic setting. You will learn directly from some of the best voice actors and directors in the world and also get some inside information on how to break in and what the industry is really like. Panel guests include voice director Andrea Toyias (World of Warcraft), and other top actors from the game. 7:00pm – 8:00pm: PodCRASH with That Chris Gore Live - Room 25ABC A Justice League of geeky comedians including Judah Friedlander (30 Rock), Steve Agee (The Sarah Silverman Program), Brody Stevens (Kroll Show, Comedy Bang Bang), Yoshi Obayashi (Comedy Central), and Tommy Bechtold (Glee, The Middle) along with surprise guests are on hand for a live podcast hosted by comedian Chris Gore (Attack of the Show, Geektime on SiriusXM Howard 101). 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Reinventing Horror - Room 5AB For seven years at Comic-Con, Mark L. Miller (Ain’t It Cool News, Pirouette) has gathered a ghoulish ensemble of creative minds to discuss and dissect how they create nightmares and what (if anything) scares them. This year, Mark gathers a talented panel of filmmakers, writers, artists, and musicians to discuss how to reinvent and revitalize the horror genre; pushing new limits, twisting new concepts, and crafting new terrors to keep you up at night. 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Robotech Industries Panel - Room 6DE Tommy Yune, director of Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles and Steve Yun, screenwriter of Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles showcase all the latest live-action and animated Robotech projects in production. 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Scratch Lightning Strikes - Room 28DE Executives Sam F. Park and Kevin G. Dardano (Scratch Lightning Productions and Monsterverse Entertainment) discuss the exciting new horror TV, film and media projects of Scratch Lightning Productions with creators Robert Myer Burnett (Free Enterprise, Hills Run Red), Emmy winner Robert Sexton (Death Angel), Todd Livingston (The Black Forest) and Henry Mayo (Ted). 7:00pm – 8:00pm: The Scoop at Simon & Schuster - Room 9 Get the inside word on Simon & Schuster’s upcoming books and the chance to win exclusive prizes. Chrissy Noh (associate marketing director), Matt Pantoliano (digital marketing), Liesa Abrams (marketing manager), Hayley Gonnason (publicist) and Christian Trimmer (publicity manager) give you the scoop on upcoming books from exciting authors, including Cassandra Clare, Scott Westerfeld, Tony DiTerlizzi, Rachel Renée Russell, and Brandon Mull. Hear what’s going on with S&S’s hot properties and get a chance to win exclusive giveaways. All attendees will receive a limited edition T-shirt for Brandon Mull’s Five Kingdoms. 7:00pm – 8:00pm: World Building and Storytelling - Room 32AB Robert Roach (Menthu, The Roach), Gini Koch (Alien Collective), Ed Erdelac (Terovolas), Nathan Long (Blackhhearts Omnibus), and Nancy Holder (Wicked Saga) discuss structure and storytelling, the use of pacing, and how certain creators use a timeline to build flow. Moderated by Jeffrey Twohig. 7:00pm – 8:00pm: WWE Studios and Lionsgate: A Look Behind the Horror of Leprechaun: Origins and See No Evil 2 - Room 7AB WWE Studios and Lionsgate host a panel for their soon to be released collaborationsLeprechaun: Origins and See No Evil 2. The panel will feature See No Evil 2 directors Jen and Sylvia Soska-the twisted twins of American Mary fame, who will be joined by their on-screen psychopath WWE Superstar Kane. Also in attendance will be director and VFX guru Zach Lipovsky (Tasmanian Devils), director of Leprechaun: Origins; and the star of the cult classic reboot, WWE Superstar Hornswoggle. The panel will include See No Evil 2 and Leprechaun: Origins producer and WWE Studios president Michael Luisi, who will unveil the hotly anticipated and re-imagined looks of the new Leprechaun and Jacob Goodnight. 7:15pm – 7:45pm: Ashley - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina As a girl prepares to go to college, she’s haunted by a recurring nightmare and obsesses over what it means. Then, on the one day she tries to forget about it, she’s unexpectedly confronted with the horrifying truth. Participating panelists include Valerie Roque Ontiveros (executive producer), Jeffrey Schultz (producer), Austen Emme (assistant director), and Jeremy Lei Ontiveros (writer and director). 7:15pm – 8:15pm: Sharknado 2: The Second One - Room 6BCF Get your chainsaws ready! A Sharknado is about to hit the Big Apple. Sharknado 2: The Second One stars Ian Ziering (Fin Shepard), Tara Reid (April Wexler), Kari Wuhrer (Ellen Brody), and Judah Friedlander (Bryan) and director Anthony C. Ferrante take you into the eye of the social media and pop culture storm of the century. Get exclusive details on Syfy’s global blockbuster, which will ravage nearly 90 countries, this July. 7:30pm – 8:30pm: Artist as Brand: Rise of the Artist Entrepreneur - Room 8 Greg Spalenka (professional artist in publishing, film, and higher education, Sandman, Titan Books, The Golden Compass, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) moderates a panel discussion on art career sustainability. Learn strategies on how to create an income from your talent on your own terms with panelists Donato Giancola (professional artist in publishing, film, and games, Tor, National Geographic, Microsoft, Vivendi/Universal, LucasArts), Daniel M. Davis (artist/designer of Steam Crow, publishers of monster books, serigraphs, and other art products), Drew Brophy (professional surf artist and ambassador of adventure travel lifestyle), Maria Brophy (art agent, author of How to Understand Art Licensing Contracts and expert on art licensing and the business of art), and Dawn M. Schiller (Odd Fae and Autumn Things, author of FaeMaker, artist/designer of sculpted handmade dolls). 7:30pm – 8:30pm: Bride of Name That Movie! - Room 4 Every great film deserves a great sequel and in this case last year’s hit presentation gets a sequel as well. Tired of your typical game show? Boring questions and even more boring things to look at? Here is something completely different. Film fan extraordinaire and Inkpot Award winner John Field hosts this exciting game and you can be part of it! John has taken clips from 50 different sci-fi, horror and fantasy films. The contestants’ job is to name as many clips as they can. Whoever names the most clips within the show, wins. Yes, John will have prizes for first, second, third and even fourth place. Put your name in the magic film can; if it’s drawn, you could play. Anyone in the audience can guess the film that stumps the panel wins a prize as well. 7:30pm – 8:30pm: Star Blazers 2199 - Room 24ABC The legendary Star Blazers series is coming back! Join the crew to learn more about Star Blazers 2199 movie releases at this exciting and riveting panel! You’ll have a chance to witness the screening of episode 10 of the new TV show as well as other never-before-seen footage and learn more about DVD and Blu-ray releases. 7:30pm – 8:30pm: The Lost 1978 Comic Book Documentary - Room 26AB John Siuntres (Word Balloon Comics Podcast host) and Mark Waid (Thrillbent Comics) present this rarely seen in the U.S. short film. In 1978 the Canadian TV Show Behind The Scene produced a 20-minute look at the comic book business featuring footage shot at the offices of DC and Marvel Comics. Narrated by comedian Jonathan Winters, the film stands as a time capsule look at how comics were made and marketed in the pre-digital world of the mid-20th century. You’ll see footage and comments from Stan Lee, Archie Goodwin, Neal Adams, Julie Schwartz, Denny O’Neil, Jim Steranko, John Romita, and many more! The audience will get the chance to answer trivia questions about the footage they see and win prizes. 7:45pm – 8:05pm: Divergence - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina Two individuals fall in love, and their lives intertwine together, but when they begin to lead each other down a destructive path, they face the difficult decision to continue or go separate ways. Participating panelists include director Matt Gibson (Towers of Terror), producer Chet Callahan (Winter Gardens), and actor Aleksander D’Avignon (The Turtle). 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Del Rey: Robin Hobb - Room 9 Bestselling author Robin Hobb (Fool’s Assassin) and Del Rey executive editor Anne Groell discuss the return of the beloved Fitz and the Fool story. Also, hear what’s coming from Del Rey and Random House, including details on upcoming titles from authors Joe Abercrombie, Terry Brooks, Pierce Brown, George R. R. Martin, Peter F. Hamilton, and more! 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Freddy vs. Jason vs. Michael: Inside the Minds of Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers - Room 7AB This terrible trio has terrified audiences worldwide…but what makes each one tick? Is Michael simply a sociopathic stalker, Freddy merely a manipulative monster, and Jason just a killing machine? Or will we find there’s more to these slashers when we slice below the surface? Join forensic psychiatrists H. Eric Bender, M.D., Praveen R. Kambam, M.D., and Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D., from Broadcast Thought, and very special guest Mark Swift (writer of Freddy vs. Jason, Friday the 13th 2009), as they analyze these villains’ murderous motivations. Can we make sense of a vengeful boogeyman’s sister obsession? Could fire turn a violent predator into a sadistic serial killer? Did “mommy issues” and bullying birth a brutish butcher? Who is the most dangerous killer, and which, if any, would be considered insane? Join the discussion moderated by horror-meister Evan Dickson of Bloody Disgusting! Discover the answers to these and other questions, and take a stab at these iconic slashers! 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Horror Stories of Creating Comics: How to Produce Tricky Books - Room 30CDE Producing complicated and unusual books takes more than just ink and paper-sometimes it takes blood, sweat, and tears. For anyone who’s ever been interested in making their own books, join Cesare Asaro (creator, Finding Frank and His Friend), Calista Brill (senior editor, First Second Books), Peter Maresca (editor, Sunday Press Books), Dave Marshall (editor, Dark Horse Comics), and Kirstie Shepherd (author, Gadabout Time Machine User’s Manual) for a panel discussion on the red flags to watch out for on the long journey to get the details right, and to hear funny stories of where things went wrong. 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Making It Happen: Independent Toy Design - Room 32AB Learn how independent toy producers are bringing their creations to life in plastic, resin, and plush! Leading artists and toy designers George Gaspar (October Toys), Scott Tolleson (Stolle Art), Dave Bondi (toy designer), Carlos East (The Beast Brothers), and John “Spanky” Stokes (SpankyStokes.com) discuss toy production, brand development, and answer audience questions. Moderated by Ayleen Gaspar (Toy Break). 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Monkeybrain Comics: Digital and Beyond - Room 28DE Since launching in 2012, Monkeybrain Comics has become recognized as a premier publisher for quality digital comics, and many of their titles have since been released in print editions by publishers such as IDW, Image/Shadowline, and Dark Horse. Co-publishers Allison Baker (Monkeybrain Comics) and Chris Roberson (Edison Rex) are joined by Anina Bennett (Heartbreakers), Christopher Sebela (High Crimes), Jen Vaughn ( Avery Fatbottom), and Gabriel Hardman (Kinski) to discuss the advantages of publishing digitally and how digital and print can work together. 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Nerdist Science - Room 25ABC Nerdist Science editor Kyle Hill and panelists discuss the science hidden in your favorite fandoms. From Star Wars to Game of Thrones, scientists, writers, and engineers will dissect everything geek and answer audience questions. 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Psychology of Cult TV Shows - Room 23ABC A panel of therapists and scientists (mad or otherwise), including Dr. Janina Scarlet (The Superhero Manual), Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight), Dr. Ali Mattu (Nerd Hour), and Billy San Juan (Alliant International University) discuss the psychology behind TV shows, such as Doctor Who, Sherlock, Firefly, Grimm, and Buffy. Find out how TV shows might help us cope with painful experiences and geek out in discussing such fundamental questions as: With all the regenerations, what is the Doctor’s true identity? What makes Sherlock a better detective than London’s finest? What does psychology tell us about the demons that live inside us? With these questions and more, this panel is a must for loyal fans of these shows. 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Tournament of Nerds - Room 5AB The hit comedy show from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre returns to Comic-Con. Who would win in a fight, Batman or Wolverine? Superman or Gandalf? Questions like these have plagued humankind for decades, but only Tournament of Nerds can settle these disputes…by pitting two comedians against each other to battle it out in heated debate! Hosted by Justin Donaldson (Reno 911!) and Hal Rudnick (Screen Junkies), the panel features Marc Andreyko (Batwoman), Maddox (The Best Page in the Universe), Jesse Snider (Evil Ernie), Roger Barr (I-Mockery), Mike Carlson (Conan), Aaron Sparrow (Darkwing Duck), and a bunch of surprise celebrity guests! 8:00pm – 10:30pm: Ric Meyers’ Superhero Kung Fu Extravaganza - Room 6A Ric Meyers-the Inside Kung-Fu writer of the year, world martial art hall of famer, and author/scripter of Films of Fury: The Kung Fu Movie and book-is back with another gang of the greatest Asian action film fights you’ve ever laughed, gasped, and cheered at…and that’s not all. Also back are his Comedy Film Nerd co-hosts Graham Elwood (Palm Strike Dance Party) and Chris J. Mancini (Ear Buds: The Pod Doc), as well as Eric Jacobus and The Stunt People, and even more. This is Ric’s 17th year, so if you don’t know the drill by now, here are some hints: Premieres! Sneak peeks! Surprise guest stars! Eye-chopping! Mind-kicking! Fun! 8:05pm – 8:15pm: Psychedelic Breakfast - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina A peeping tom is conducting experiments in a film lab, but suddenly everything goes out of control and he becomes a victim of his practice. 8:15pm – 8:30pm: The Box - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina A young woman wakes up locked in a wooden box and all she wants is out until she discovers an ominous scheme awaits her. 8:30pm – 8:40pm: Job Interview - Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina Lisa’s excitement over her potential new job quickly dissipates when interviewer Marie begins asking her a series of increasingly bizarre and pointed questions. 8:30pm – 9:30pm: Star Trek’s Ships of the Line - Room 4 A team of Star Trek designers will take fans into the art department as they showcase the art and inspiration of Star Trek’s most famous Ships of the Line. The panelists include John Eaves (concept artist and senior illustrator, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, and more), Andy Probert (production illustrator, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and consulting illustrator, Star Trek: The Next Generation), Doug Drexler (makeup artist, scenic artist, graphic designer, illustrator, and visual effects artist, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Mike Okuda (lead graphic designer and tech consultant, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), ILM’s John Goodson (model maker and digital artist, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek Into Darkness), and Greg Jein (model maker, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). Join the team of Star Trek designers for a Q&A moderated by Ben Robinson, editor for the long-running Star Trek Fact Files and the manager of Eaglemoss’ new Starship Collection. Limited edition collectibles from Eaglemoss will be distributed to every attendee. 8:30pm – 9:30pm: Storytellers with a Mission: The Bold Writers & Artists at Black Mask Studios - Room 8 From legendary storytellers to new comics voices, Black Mask Studios has captured the imaginations of the most forward-thinking creators with a simple promise: robust creator rights plus storytelling to new audiences across media. With insight from some of Black Mask’s partners helping expand these stories to new audiences, the creators will discuss their unique (and often surprising) missions for their stories, from saving the lives of abused animals to preparing readers for the afterlife. 8:30pm – 10:00pm: Comics on Comics LIVE! - Room 26AB Comics on Comics returns to Comic-Con for it’s fearsome fifth year! Juan-Manuel Rocha and Vito Lapiccola are joined by the intensely incredible Jon Schnepp (The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened?) and other strange guests! Watch as the greatest comic minds meet the greatest minds in comics! 8:30pm – 10:00pm: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog Sing-Along - Room 6BCF Join the fun and sing along as the California Browncoats screen Internet sensation Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Enter the horrible costume contest and win horrible prizes in four categories. Best Dr. Horrible, Captain Hammer, Penny, and “other” character from the show; and a grand prize awarded to one well-prepared individual for “Best in Show.” DO NOT BOUNCE! 9:00pm – 10:00pm: Behind the Making of Better Things: The Life and Choices of Jeffrey Catherine Jones -A Tribute Documentary to an Inspiring Comic Book Artist and the Spirit of Creativity - Room 9 Better Things is a documentary about Jeffrey Catherine Jones, an enigmatic comic book artist from the ’70s. His entrance into the comic book art world paved the way for many of today’s popular comic book artists to produce work that incorporate fine art influences. His fame did not guarantee a controversy-free reputation. In fact, his personal challenges have stood in the way of a more economically viable existence-in particular, the development of his transgender persona. Unlike most people who have undergone this dramatic and drastic change, Jones maintained a huge loyal following in his industry. The film follows the stories behind his success and it also showcases his artwork through interviews with his family and peers. Excerpts from the film will be shown, followed by a brief discussion with the cast and crew. 9:00pm – 10:00pm: Cartoon Network: Adventure Time Royal Ball - Room 7AB Hear ye, Hear ye! Princess Bubblegum cordially invites you to the first ever Royal Ball of Ooo at San Diego Comic-Con! Join panelists for an hour filled with mathematical magic as they screen a royal handful of your favorite Adventure Time episodes, including a world premiere! But wait, there’s more: wear your favorite Adventure Time-inspired outfit for this special celebration and you have the chance to walk away with a righteous prize! Now come one, come all for a ball of laughs, a ball of costumes, and a ball of royal awesomesauce! Category:Comic-con 2014 Schedules